Forgotten But Not Lost
by blueink3
Summary: After the final battle, Ginny awakes in St. Mungo's to find that Harry has some strange Muggle affliction called amnesia. The cause is not yet known: head trauma, spell damage. All she knows is that Harry doesn't know his friends and he doesn't know her.
1. Aftermath

Chapter I

The white walls of St. Mungo's ward slowly came into focus and the girl with red hair shot up in bed.

_The battle, the curse, Crucio, Avada Kedavra, Voldemort, Harry…darkness._

Her small hand rose to her head as she looked around for a familiar face. None came to her. Giving herself a once-over, she decided that she looked none the worse for wear. Flinging the blanket off, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and let her feet touch the floor, letting out a gasp as the cold linoleum hit her toes. Hanging onto the bed for support, she finally let all of her weight onto the soles of her feet. Staggering slightly, she grasped for the bed again. This wasn't going to be as easy as she thought. Moving slowly, she made it to the door. Attempting to avoid a confrontation in nothing but her hospital gown, she quietly crept through the ward, looking for someone, anyone.

Looking for him.

"Excuse me, Miss, but where do you think you're going?"

_Bugger._ She turned and met the eyes of a lime-green clad Healer looking at her with raised eyebrows. She took a deep breath and stood up to her full height, despite the pain that coursed through her body at the movement.

"I have to find my friends."

An air of skepticism flitted over the Healer's face.

"Where are you coming from?"

The young girl pointed to the doors through which she just came. The Healer's eyes grew wide.

"Critical wing? Perhaps it would be best if you got back in bed." He moved forward to usher her back but the girl's impatience was growing by the minute.

"Look, I'm fine. I just need to get to them."

"What's your name?"

The girl sighed. "Ginny Weasley."

If it was possible, the Healer's eyes got even bigger.

"Well Miss. Weasley, let me give you a quick once over before I let you go scampering off through the halls."

Ginny opened her mouth to say something but closed it soon after, her confusion from the sudden change in the young Healer's decision halting her argument. She nodded. The young man brought up his wand and put in front of her face. "_Lumos."_ He shone the light in each of her eyes and watched as her hazel eyes followed his wand. He muttered another spell, which Ginny had never heard before, and ran his wand in front of her body. For a brief moment, it reminded her of Filch's Dark Arts sensor and a small smile crept into her face at the memory of the cranky, detestable old man. "Well you're all set."

"I am?"

"Yep. Just avoid any more Unforgivable Curses." His eyes became soft but dark. Ginny could have sworn she saw pity there. Pity was something she couldn't stand. She numbly nodded as the memory of her last moments of consciousness came screaming back to her. _Crucio! _She visibly shivered. The Healer went over to a cupboard and pulled out some hospital scrubs, something more comfortable and less revealing than a gown.

"Here put these on. The clothes you were brought in with were a bit…dirty." _Bloody would have been the proper word._ Instead of voicing her thoughts, Ginny smiled and thanked the young man. Going behind a screen, she changed out of her gown. Emerging once again, she found the Healer at the desk levitating charts off of various shelves.

Ginny started down the hallway again, but his voice halted her steps.

"Oh Miss Weasley." She turned to face the young man. "Mr. Potter is in Ward 49."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ginny was thinking too many things to make sense of them all. Harry was in Ward 49, which meant he was dead, but then why wasn't he in "Spell Damage" with her?

Then it hit her.

Her steps faltered as she remembered what other ward resided on the fourth floor; a ward that Frank and Alice Longbottom once called home before they died shortly after the war started; a ward that held the biggest fraud the wizarding world had ever seen. Her heart plummeted into her stomach. _Please no._

Her pace picked up again, walking as fast as she could go, hiding the limp that ached throughout her right leg. Her body was nowhere near running shape yet. Occasionally, her eyes met the stare of others. Pity and sympathy was all she saw, unless her mind was playing tricks on her. Ward 49 couldn't come fast enough. She finally made it past the lift and, rounding the last corner, knocked into another person coming at her.

"Oh I'm so sorry." She reached out for the nearest appendage to steady herself.

"Ginny?"

"Oh god, Hermione!" Ginny flung herself into the older girl's arms.

Hermione pulled away and brushed Ginny's hair out of her face. "I was just on my way down to see you. What are you doing over here? You should be in bed." Hermione supported the girl's weight as it rapidly gave out. Ginny looked up into her face.

"Where is he?"

Hermione's eyes glazed over and she opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. Ginny looked over the older girl's shoulder and saw a sight she rarely saw. Ron sat in a chair further down the hall just outside the ward doors. His head was bowed, his faced hidden behind his hands. Running his fingers through his hair he looked up and saw his sister staring at him. He stood, never breaking eye contact with her. Blood ran down the side of his face, but he didn't seem to notice. The scars on his arms were visible through his ripped shirt. Ginny had begun to cry, slowly at first. A single tear slid down her cheek, then another. They came faster with each step Ron took towards her. By the time she reached out to him, she was sobbing. She collapsed into his arms and he wrapped her in a tight embrace.

"Ginny…" His whispers were drowned out by her sobs. "Ginny, listen to me."

"Where is he?" She pulled away from him and looked him in the eye. "Ron, where is he?" Her older brother, who had been a little girl's confidant, her partner in crime, and her main torturer, looked older than his 18 years. A look of resignation passed over his face as he turned in the direction of the ward behind him. _Janus Thickey Ward._

"Ginny, don't."

Whether she didn't hear or chose not to, Ron didn't know. All he knew was that his sister was about to get her heart broken, for the second time in her life.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

She could feel her pulse thumping in her hand as it pressed against the wooden door to the long-term patient ward. Gathering what strength she had left, she pushed the doors open and stepped inside. An eerie silence met her. Her bare footsteps resounded off the bare walls as her eyes cautiously flicked from bed to bed. Then she saw them: the familiar red hair of her parents and older brother Charlie, the tall but fatigued form of Remus Lupin, the ever-changing hair of Tonks. Her normal bright tresses were dulled down to match her mood. They gathered around a bed, around a person whom Ginny couldn't see.

She stopped in her approach, a sudden fear gripping her. She wasn't sure if she wanted to go any further. She should've listened to Ron. An involuntary gasp caused Remus to look up and catch her gaze. She stared at her ex-professor, a man who had become a great friend and keeper of secrets. He left the group, whose attention was so focused on the bed that they didn't notice.

"You shouldn't be here."

"So I've been told." She peeked around him again, hoping to catch a glance at the boy with black hair.

He sighed and looked at her. "Ginny, really. You need to rest."

"Professor, do you honestly expect me to rest?"

He gave away the slightest hint of a smile when she addressed him by his formal title. Despite his protestations, she wouldn't change. "Once a professor, always a professor," she would say, giving him a smile and a wink. He shook the memory away, surprised that that same smiling, winking girl was standing before him in tears. But despite her tears, her gaze never wavered.

"I need to see him."

"Ginny…"

Her voice rose. "Why is everyone trying to protect me?"

"He doesn't know who you are!" His shout echoed around the ward causing the group by the bed to turn and see the distraught girl standing in the middle of the hall. Lupin lowered his voice again. "He doesn't know who any of us are."

Ginny's breath came in deep, ragged gasps. Her face showed her frustration, confusion, hurt, and heartbreak. When she finally spoke again, her voice had lost its usual confidence. She sounded more like a lost child than a Weasley.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh Ginny, darling." Mrs. Weasley made her way over to her daughter, giving Ginny her first glance at the boy in the bed. He looked no different. He had some nasty cuts and bruises on his face, his body was probably no different, but other than that, he looked like the boy she fell in love with. Her eyes never left his form even as her mother wrapped her arms around her.

"Mum, what is wrong with Harry?"

Mrs. Weasley loosened her grip and looked at Remus. Lupin's eyes darted to his shoes, a sign to Ginny that whatever she was about to hear would not bode well. Charlie came around her and put his hands on her shoulders as Mrs. Weasley fixed her gaze on her only daughter.

"Harry cannot remember us."

Ginny broke out of her mother's grasp as Charlie tightened his. "But what does that mean?"

Mrs. Weasley looked at Ginny and sighed. "Whatever V-…" She struggled with the word.

"Oh for god's sake, mother! Voldemort!" His name echoed around the silent ward. Mrs. Weasley stared at her daughter before continuing calmly.

"Whatever Voldemort hit Harry with before he died, it erased Harry's memory."

"You mean _Obliviate?_"

Mrs. Weasley wrung her hands. "No he wasn't obliviated. He has am- am…oh what's the word?"

"He has amnesia." Ginny turned to see the young Healer standing behind her. "It's usually only seen in Muggles. Mr. Potter sustained a lot of trauma to his head, which might have been the cause. He could also be in shock."

The room suddenly felt suffocating. "So he can't remember us?"

The Healer shook his head in response.

"But how it that different from being obliviated?"

"With amnesia, there is a chance of recovery."

"A chance?" Her voice inadvertently cracked.

He nodded again. Ginny looked down. Her insides felt like they had done the Wronsky Feint and forgot to pull up before the crash landing. Her head swam, her stomach turned. Looking up to the boy in the bed, she moved out of Charlie's grip and away from her family.

As she drew closer, she watched his chest rise up and down in a rhythmic movement, the white sheet rising and falling with it. She dared not go any closer and yet it was all she could do to not grab his hand and yell at him to wake up. So she instead remained at the foot of his bed, watching and waiting.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

"How does one diagnose anmesia?" Mr. Weasley followed the young Healer down the hall.

"It's _am_nesia. And it's diagnosed when a person cannot remember things they should. It's a partial or total loss of memory. We don't yet know to what extent his memory loss is."

"How can you tell the difference between _Obliviate_ and amsesia?"

The Healer hid his smile well. "Mostly from first hand accounts."

"Well, what couldn't he remember? And who brought him in? We only got word that Harry had been taken to St. Mungo's when they didn't find him among everyone else."

"Your son Ron brought him in. He said Mr. Potter was not obliviated. Mr. Potter woke up and didn't have a clue as to who your son was. We had to give him a sedative _and_ a sleeping draught when things began to get out of control."

"Out of control?"

The Healer stopped in his walking.

"Mr. Weasley, how would you feel if you woke up in a strange place, with injuries you don't remember getting, surrounded by people you don't know, but the real kicker is that these strangers use wooden sticks to heal instead of western medicine? As I said, we don't know how badly his memory was affected. He might not even remember being a wizard."

Mr. Weasley's face blanched.

"He knows his name is Harry. That's a start." With that, the Healer turned to Ron who had not left his chair. "Mr. Weasley?" The younger red head looked up from his hands. Hermione stopped her pacing in front of him. "I'd like to take a look at your head."

"Huh?" Ron pulled his hand away and saw the blood that had caked on it from the gash above his brow. "Oh…yeah." Ron stood up as Hermione rushed to the Healer.

"Please, sir. May I go and see my friends? I know it's not visiting hours, but Neville Longbottom and-" The Healer held up his hand.

"Of course you may, Ms. Granger. I'm just going to borrow Mr. Weasley here for a moment."

Hermione nodded. "Thank you so much."

"No need, Ms. Granger. All war wounded are in a quarantined ward one floor down."

Her smiled faded but she nodded just the same. Turning to Ron, she kissed him on his blood-free cheek and squeezed his hand. With that, she walked towards the lift. The Healer returned his attention to Ron.

"Mr. Weasley?"

"I'm coming."

Arthur interrupted the Healer's departure one final time. "Wait, if the war wounded are being quarantined on the third floor, why was my daughter on the fourth?"

"Because she needed special treatment from one of our Healers in the "Spell Damage" ward. Your daughter was hit with the Cruciatus Curse for an extended period of time. She needed help beyond what normal Healers are trained to do."

Mr. Weasley sat down in the chair that Ron had vacated. "But she's okay?"

"You saw her yourself, Mr. Weasley. Physically, she is doing splendidly for what she has been through. You have a very strong daughter."

Ron rolled his eyes. "You have no idea."

The Healer smiled and gestured down the hall. Ron followed suit and they walked in silence for a bit before the Healer led him into a small room off of one of the hallways.

"What are we doing in here?"

The Healer removed some potion from the cabinets. "I would like to ask you some questions away from other distractions."

Ron nodded as the Healer gestured to a chair. Ron sat and the Healer handed him a piece of gauze to hold to his forehead.

"I know it's difficult, but I need you to tell me exactly what happened to Mr. Potter. It's crucial that I know so I can use every means necessary to get him back."

Ron was silent for a moment before nodding again. "Okay."

The Healer sat on the table across from Ron's chair. "We know he wasn't obliviated."

Ron shook his head. "No he wasn't. But I don't know what it was. Harry should be dead."

"What do you mean?"

"They both cast the Killing Curse at the same time. But their wands didn't connect. They didn't get that…Pri-"

"Priori Incantatum."

"Yeah. It didn't happen. Harry told me about it when it happened a few years ago and what happened tonight wasn't it. Voldemort only used Unforgivable Curses. I doubt he rarely uses anything else. _Obliviate _never passed his lips."

"Could he have silently cast it?"

"But Harry wasn't hit with any other spells…other than _Avada Kedavra_."

The Healer looked puzzled for a moment. "What happened to Mr. Potter when he was hit with the Killing Curse?"

"He fell. Both he and Voldemort flew backwards."

_Harry hit the ground with such force, his head snapped back and cracked the hardened earth beneath. White spots flashed in front of his eyes. With whatever strength he had left, Harry lifted his head to find Voldemort flat on his back, unmoving. The prophecy had been fulfilled. A heavy weight lifted off of his chest as a relieved smile crept onto his face. It didn't stay long. A shadow passed over him. _

"_My Lord? My Lord Voldemort!" Harry registered some panic, a sense of urgency, a voice inside telling him he needed to move. But he couldn't. His battered body had given out and he was slipping in and out of consciousness. So much so that he barely noticed when Bellatrix Lestrange let _Avada Kedavra _ring through the night one more time. _

"You mean to tell me that Mr. Potter was hit with the Killing Curse twice?"

Ron grimly nodded. "In a five minute period."

"It's a miracle he's still alive."

"His scar reopened. And it's deeper."

The Healer nodded in understanding. "Yes it would do that, wouldn't it. What happened to Lestrange?"

The young man was no stranger to the infamous Death Eater. Too many times had he treated her victims. Ron finally looked up into the Healer's face.

"I killed her."

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Healer walked briskly down the hall toward the Janus Thickey Ward. Pushing the door open, he caught sight of Remus Lupin and quickly made his way towards him.

"How is it that Harry Potter is still alive? I am a fully qualified Healer and I don't have the slightest idea why that boy is lying in my Ward. But I think you do."

Lupin looked at the Healer and then back at Harry. The sleeping draught was still working its magic. Ginny was still holding vigil.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you. The man who should be telling you this was taken a long time ago."

"Try, Mr. Lupin."

"Albus Dumbledore told me of a very old kind of magic, one that not many people know about. That is how Harry survived the Killing Curse the first time."

"From this old magic? How did it work?"

"A mother's love. His mother loved him enough to sacrifice her life for him. And that saved him."

"So what saved him this time? With all due respect, his mother is no longer with us."

"She did." Lupin inclined his head toward the young girl perched on a chair next to Harry's bed. Her legs were drawn up to her chest and her chin rested on her knees, her eyes never leaving his face.

"But she's still alive."

"Oh very much so. Harry's love for her brought about that protection. She doesn't know it, but she saved his life."

"So the spell bounced off of Harry and hit Voldemort? Am I getting that right?" Lupin thought about it for a second.

"Yes to an extent. The spell certainly didn't leave Harry unharmed. But Voldemort cast his Killing Curse a second earlier than Harry did."

"So no Priori Incantatum."

"No. Voldemort's own spell backfired before Harry's hit him."

The Healer followed Lupin's gaze toward Harry. "Does she love him?"

Lupin was surprised by the personal question. He smiled before answering.

"Always has."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hermione tentatively approached the red head who was unconsciously rocking herself back and forth on the hospital chair.

"Ginny?"

The young girl broke out of her trance. "Hm?"

"Charlie brought you some clothes from the Burrow. He thought you might want to get out of the hospital robes. Lime-green isn't really your color."

Ginny smiled slightly at Hermione's attempt at a joke and took the clothes from the older girl. "Thank you." She didn't move from her position next to Harry though.

"Ginny…"

"I don't want to leave just yet."

"Ginny, you need to. You have to get out of those clothes and your body needs food. Now please come with me to the tearoom. Just for a bit. We don't have to stay for long, but you're weak and dehydrated. You need something." Hermione sighed. "Please?"

Ginny looked up into her eyes and saw her pain mirrored in Hermione's. While Ginny was losing the man she loved, Hermione was losing a brother. She acquiesced and slowly got up from the chair, the soreness giving way to stiffness. Lingering to stare a bit more, she made her way in pursuit of Hermione out of Ward 49.

The visitor's tearoom on the fifth floor was surprisingly empty for the middle of the day. Or perhaps it wasn't the afternoon. It could have been midnight and Ginny wouldn't know the difference.

"Thank you, Hermione."

"For what? The tea was free."

Ginny smiled. "No, for bringing me up here and for distracting me."

Hermione looked down into her cup. "I need the distraction just as much as you do."

Ginny nodded. "Did you find everyone? You know, on the third floor?"

Hermione visibly stiffened. "No…not everyone."

Ginny played with her teacup, eyes welling up at the thought of lost friends. "Don't tell me. Not yet. I can't…I just can't deal with it right now."

Hermione nodded in understanding. _"Luna! Get down!" _Ginny shook the memory from her head but Luna's lifeless eyes still stared back at her. Ginny was now biting her lip. These nervous habits were not like her. Hermione studied her for a moment, taking in her tussled hair, her pale, freckled face, her fidgeting hands, her dark eyes.

"Is he…really gone?"

Hermione started at her voice. "Ginny, he's not gone."

"But he doesn't know who we are. For all he knows Harry Potter doesn't exist."

"That's not true. He knows his name is Harry."

"But he doesn't know Ron! If he doesn't know Ron, then he doesn't know you, and he certainly doesn't know me!"

Hermione drew back at Ginny's outburst. "You're right. He doesn't. But that doesn't mean that we have to give up on him. I'm not writing him off just yet. He's not gone."

Ginny looked at her hard. The nervous habits evaporated and for a moment, Ginny Weasley was back to her fiery self. She spoke slowly and confidently.

"I will never give up on him. I haven't since I was eleven. Even if he didn't know I was there, I never left. And I won't leave him now." The girls sat in silence. Luckily the tearoom was empty.

"Ahem." They simultaneously looked up and saw Ron standing in the doorway. "Am I interrupting something?"

"Yes. But we never said it was unwelcome."

Ron looked at his sister and didn't know if that was an invitation to enter or a warning to stay away from her temper. Hermione looked at Ron's face.

"Ron, what's wrong?" He looked up from his shoes.

"Harry's awake."

…


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter II

"I'm sorry?" Ginny could feel her face pale. Ron met her eyes and repeated his words a little more firmly.

"Harry. He's awake."

Ginny looked at Hermione and as the two girls stared at each other, there was a moment of still silence before they flew out of their chairs and hurried past Ron. When they got past the doors and into the hallway, Hermione grabbed Ginny's arm.

"Slow down. You can hardly stand."

Ginny pulled her arm away. "I'm fine."

"Ginny, you're limping. I know you're trying to hide it. I can't imagine how much pain you must be in right now but I'm sure it's a fair amount. Please slow down. Harry's not going anywhere anytime soon."

Ginny continued but at a slower pace, Hermione noticed. They got in the lift and Ginny punched the button more times than was necessary.

"Calm down, Gin." Ron put his hand on her shoulder. He took a deep breath. "Just remember…"

"I know! He doesn't know who I am."

The door to the lift slid open and she was off down the hall. She stopped in front of the "Janus Thickey Ward" doors. _Just breathe._ Opening them, she moved slowly inside. Expecting to see a crowd around him, she was surprised when she saw only the Healer speaking to Harry. Her eyes were fixed on him and she sharply inhaled. Completely ignorant of her surroundings, she didn't notice when the door opened and shut behind her announcing the arrival of Ron and Hermione. She didn't even notice Lupin until he stood two feet in front of her.

"Ginny?"

"Is he okay?"

Lupin turned and looked at Harry.

"He seems to be. None of us have talked to him since he woke up. They're going to tell him about his condition first…and then we can speak to him."

Ginny numbly nodded. Harry looked confused. Not distraught, but disoriented. His eyes flicked to hers and she was startled by the sudden attention, but he didn't look away. The Healer said something causing him to divert his attention again.

"Does he know yet?"

"Yes."

"He's taking it well."

"Well unlike us, amnesia isn't a foreign word to Harry. He grew up with Muggles, remember?"

"Right, the Dursleys." Ginny grew angry just at the thought of them. The Healer left Harry's side and walked over to Lupin.

"Excuse us, Ms. Weasley." With that, he pulled Lupin away from Ginny and they began to speak in hushed tones. She was thoroughly confused by the whole situation. Sneaking a look at Harry, her heart broke when she saw him staring down at the white sheet, a blank expression on his face. She looked back at Lupin and tried to hear what they were saying, but to no avail.

"Is it true that she has the best shot of helping him remember?"

"Yes it's true." Lupin looked at the Healer, as if daring him to disagree. The Healer nodded and moved toward Ginny again.

"Ms. Weasley, will you come with me?"

Ginny could only manage a brief nod as the Healer took her by the arm and escorted her out of the ward.

"Remus, what is going on?" Mrs. Weasley walked up to the empty looking man.

"I'm not sure. But I think Harry Potter is about to meet Ginny Weasley."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Ms. Weasley, I'm about to introduce you to Mr. Potter. There are a few things you must know first." The white linoleum tile began to spin in Ginny's vision and she opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. The Healer continued. "First off, Harry doesn't remember anything after age ten. We're not sure why he reverted back to that age but it's what we have to deal with."

"He found out."

"Excuse me?"

Ginny's voice had only been a whisper and the Healer had to move closer to hear.

"He found out he was a wizard on his eleventh birthday. He found out about Hogwarts, about our world." She paused and looked up, her eyes already knowing the answer. "He doesn't remember any of it, does he."

"I'm afraid not. It was quite a shock for him to wake up and find himself eight years older."

Ginny looked towards the door. "So he's about to meet me for the first time?"

"Yes, but Ms. Weasley, you cannot tell him about his past. He will ask, no doubt. The important thing is that he remember it on his own. If you paint him a picture, soon he will begin to think he has remembered it when in actuality, it's your version of his life. He must remember himself."

"I understand."

"Okay. Then let's go meet Harry Potter."

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ginny's heart had never thumped harder. If it was possible, she could have sworn it had the power to pound right out of her chest. She followed the Healer over to Harry's bed, yet she walked behind at a distance. Harry lifted his head when he heard them coming, and his eyes locked on hers. Her hands were clasped together so tightly, her fingers were beginning to lose circulation.

"Well, Mr. Potter, I have someone for you to meet." Harry's eyes never left Ginny's. "This is Ginevra Weasley."

Her eyes jumped to the Healer at the use of her full name. Why had he done that? Still, she said not a word and remained rooted to her spot at the foot of Harry's bed. He stared at her face, almost memorizing every feature, every emotion.

"Hi." His simple greeting broke her out of her stupor.

"Hi."

The Healer looked back and forth between the two. This was going to take a while. Then surprisingly, Ginny walked forward and held out her hand. "I'm Ginevra." Harry reached forward and took it.

"Harry."

She gestured toward the chair next to his bed. "May I sit?"

He nodded. Little did he know that she had occupied that chair for the better part of three hours. The Healer saw his cue to leave.

"I have more patients to check up on. I'll be back to see how you're doing later." He began to walk down the ward.

"Thank you."

The Healer turned and gave a small wave to Harry, before continuing on his way. Ginny looked at the Healer's retreating figure.

"He seems nice."

Harry nodded. He was back to staring at the sheet. Trying to make conversation made Ginny feel like she was eleven all over again, trying not to make a room unbearably awkward whenever she and Harry were in it. She sighed. _This is not going to be easy. _

"So how do I know you?"

Ginny looked up, startled. "Sorry?"

"How do I know you? I know the Healer didn't introduce us just for the sake of introduction." He paused. "I also saw the way you were looking at me earlier. You know me but I don't know you. Right?"

Ginny looked up from her seat. "Yes I know you."

"I'm sorry I can't remember."

He looked back at the sheet again. She didn't understand what was so fascinating about it. Perhaps it was its simplicity. There was nothing complicated about a white sheet. Life on the other hand…now that was complicated.

"It's not your fault."

He sharply looked up. "It isn't?"

"Of course not. You were -" Ginny stopped herself just in time. _No details. _"It just wasn't your fault."

"Okay. I guess I'll have to take your word for it. I obviously don't remember what happened."

Ginny was surprised by how much bitterness had crept into his voice. She sometimes heard it when he talked about Sirius being taken away or when Dumbledore kept him out of the loop. She had to remind herself that the young man sitting before her went to sleep ten years old and woke up 18. She just had to make him remember…

"Were we close?"

"Huh?"

"Us. You and me. You said you knew me. So I wanted to know if we were close."

Ginny twisted her hair. "I don't know if I'm allowed to tell you that."

He sat up straighter against his pillows. "Why not?"

"Because…Mr….Actually, I don't know his name, Mr. Healer, wants you to remember things on your own. He doesn't want people telling you your memories. You have to remember them yourself."

Harry frowned. "But what if I don't ever remember?"

Ginny's heart constricted, but she forced out a shrug. "I don't know what happens then."

He seemed utterly disheartened. He was sure this girl was the key to whatever was happening but she seemed unable to do anything about the situation.

"But I'll help you. I'll do everything I can to help you remember."

For some reason, his stomach gave a jolt and his heartbeat picked up. _What was that?_ "Thank you, Ginevra."

Her nose scrunched when he used her full name. It was the first time in either of their lives that he had done so. She played along though. "You're welcome."

His brow furrowed as he contemplated something. Ginny could tell he was silently saying her name, trying to figure out its meaning, its place in his sea of lost memories.

"Can I…I mean…no nevermind." He shook his head and returned his gaze to the sheet.

"No, what?" She leaned forward, trying to get it out of him. She knew it was there. It just needed coaxing.

"Nothing. It's nothing."

"Harry, nothing is nothing. What you think is nothing may definitely be something."

He sighed and nodded. "M-may I call you Ginny? That just sounds more, I don't know, appropriate. Unless, people usually call you Ginevra, in which case I'll keep quiet." Ginny almost fell out of her chair. Tears came to her eyes and she smiled at the floor. Harry panicked at having upset her. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to! I just thought -" She held up her hand.

"No Harry it's okay."

"Did I call you Ginny, you know, before?"

She raised her head and wiped her tears, looking into his eyes. "I don't know…did you?" The look she fixed him with was more of challenge, a dare to remember.

"Yes I did…It just feels right."

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Ron. It's your turn."

Ron started from his semi-comatose state in the hospital chair and winced from the uncomfortable position his body had been in. "What?"

"It's your turn." Ginny stood above him, the Healer waiting behind her.

Ron immediately straightened. "You mean, to go in?" She nodded. "As in to meet him?" She nodded again. He took in a deep breath and followed his sister out of the hallway.

"Now Ron, don't mention anything that might give away who he is. He has to remember. If he asks a question, you may not be able to answer…You know what? Don't say anything."

"Ginny..." Ron ran his hand over his face. Never had she seen her brother looking so haggard. His eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep and his face was scruffy from days of not shaving. Doing something she hadn't done in years, she reached over and squeezed his hand. She held onto it until they reached Harry's bed. Harry had drifted off into sleep after Ginny left. They waited at the foot of his bed, debating on whether or not to wake him.

"_Harry – What's going on? Professor McGonagall says you saw dad hurt - "_

…

_A beautiful girl was lying by the fire, curled up like a cat, her pain and fear evident in her eyes. Another boy was sitting with his head in his hands…waiting…waiting._

With a gasp, Harry sat up in bed, causing both Ginny and Ron to jump. Harry groggily looked around, still feeling the aftereffects of the sleeping draught before his eyes focused on the girl at the end of his bed.

"Ginny, I just had a dream…" His eyes fell on Ron. "You."

Ron's eyes widened and he looked at Harry. "Me?"

Harry scrambled to a sitting position. "You were in my dream."

Ginny look at Ron, then back at Harry. "Harry, I don't think this was a dream…I think it was a memory." Harry's mouth opened like as if to say something, but he closed it. "What happened?"

"You both were waiting for something. You were upset. Something had happened. I-I can't remember what. Other people were there, but I couldn't see them as clearly as I saw you."

Ginny moved closer to the bed. "Harry, do you know who he is?" She gestured to Ron. Ron held his breath. Harry stared at the red-head, taking in every feature, willing himself to remember. He dissected his dream in his head but all he got was frustration. He finally put two and two together, the red hair, the freckles.

"He's your brother."

Ginny and Ron smiled. "What's his name?" Ron didn't notice but he was gripping his knees with great intensity.

Harry took in a deep breath. Ginny put her hand on his arm. "Harry I know that we look alike so it's easy to guess that we're siblings, but we need you to actually remember. We're going to try and help you. You remembered that I went by Ginny. What does he go by?" Harry put his head in his hands. His brain hurt.

"He goes by…I know it. I really do. It's so close." He gave Ron a distressed look.

"It's okay, mate. Take your time. We're not trying to rush you Harry."

"Thanks, Ron."

There was a moment of absolute stillness when Harry looked at Ron who looked at Ginny who looked back at Harry, and then all erupted into exclamations of utter amazement. "Ron! I remember that you're Ron!" Ginny jumped up and hugged him. Ron was still glued to his seat.

"Can you remember anything else?"

Harry shook his head, a dejected manner taking over his jubilant one."I remember that his name is Ron. And I guessed that he was your brother, but I can't remember my connection with him. I mean, you called me "mate," I know we must've been friends, but I can't remember any time that we spent together."

"It's okay, Harry. It'll come back."

He nodded and leaned back against his pillows.

"Hey, we're going to let you rest for a bit, okay? Any more dreams, let us know."

Harry smiled. "Will do." They began to walk away. "Hey Ginny?" She turned and Ron halted a step in front of her.

"Yes?"

"Who's Hermione?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lupin was pacing up and down the hallway outside Ward 49. Ginny, Ron and Hermione had left their first successful meeting with Harry and the Healer was now in the process of telling him that he was a wizard, quite capable of magic beyond simple card tricks. For someone whose last memory probably involved a cupboard and a swine-like cousin, this would no doubt come as a bit of a shock. Lupin was interrupted mid-pace as the doors to the ward flew open and the Healer came skidding out of them.

"Where's Ms. Weasley?"

Lupin looked around hurriedly. "Why she was right-"

"I'm right here." Ginny had heard the Healer's entrance from down the hall and came running over. "What happened?"

"Well he's in a bit of a panic. He, uh, doesn't quite believe me. I think he thinks I've gone a bit nutters….He's asking for you."

Ginny's eyes went as wide as saucers. "He's asking for me?"

"Yes."

"_Me_?"

The Healer rolled his eyes. "Yes, Ms. Weasley, I'm quite sure you were the Ginny he was referring to. Now mind you, he's confused. You're going to have to assure him that everything's okay…oh and that I'm not mental. I need his trust."

Ginny nodded already on her way to the door. She entered the ward and her eyes searched him out. He was sitting in bed, his knees bent, head in hands. Ginny slowly approached.

"Harry?" He quickly looked up. "Are you -"

"Is it true?"

She didn't have to ask what "it" was. She just nodded in response. His head returned to his hands.

"How? I mean, I'd like to believe that my doctor, or Healer, or whatever you call him is completely insane, but not you."

Ginny sat in the chair next to his bed. "Harry I know this is difficult-"

"I just don't understand. Magic, muggles, wizards…" He looked up. "I take it you're a witch?"

Ginny gave him a look of resignation and pulled out her wand, levitating a glass of water next to his bed. "I can do a lot more than that…and so can you."

Harry looked up again and Ginny was surprised by the anger and hurt look in his eyes. "So you didn't bother telling me that earlier?"

"I wasn't allowed, Harry. I don't know what I can or cannot tell you. You don't think this is hard for me too?"

He ran his hand through his hair. He had never thought about it like that. He had never thought that people might actually care for him. The only other people in his life that he had recollection of were the Dursleys, and they weren't exactly the most loving bunch.

"I'm sorry, Ginny. I'm just confused and…scared."

She moved to sit in the chair. "What are you scared of?"

"That I won't remember anything. I mean look at you. I should know you. I feel like I've met you before. You seem really familiar, but I don't know who you are. And I hate that I don't."

"But, Harry, I'm familiar! That's a start!" Her face had brightened.

"But what if it never goes beyond familiarity? What if I stay like this and I never remember who Ginny Weasley is? I don't want to hurt anyone I've forgotten. Plus I'm sure whatever life I had is better than the one I remember. Why did I have to forget the good one?"

She smiled despite his dilemma. "I'm sure it'll come back."

He nodded but stared toward the door. "Who's the man who keeps looking over at me? The one over there." He gestured over Ginny' head and she turned to see Remus.

"That's…hm…well maybe I shouldn't tell you his name either…Oh sod it!"

Harry laughed as she turned to Lupin again, motioning him over. Surprise registered on his face, but he came just the same.

"Harry, this is Remus Lupin."

Harry reached out his hand again, a strange look passing over his face. "Hi. Harry Potter."

Lupin grasped his hand firmly. "Nice to meet you, Harry."

"I take it you're not really meeting me either, are you Mr. Lupin."

Lupin smiled. "No, Harry, I'm not."

Harry nodded in resigned frustration. "And I take it you're not allowed to tell me how I know you either."

"Right again." Harry looked down. "I'm really very sorry Harry. If only you knew how much we want to help you."

Harry looked up again and smiled. "Thank you. That really does mean so much."

Ginny and Lupin spend the rest of the day discussing the broader points of magic, answering not too specific questions Harry had, and wondering if he ever would come back to them.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"I'm going where?" Harry's bewilderment intensified as he tried to comprehend the thought of living somewhere other than the hell that was 4 Privet Dr.

"You're going to live with us…at the Burrow. It's a lovely place. Not much, but we like it." Ginny smiled at him and his frown lessened.

"Do I often stay with you?" Ginny looked at her mother and nodded. Harry looked at the sheets again. "I wish I could remember."

Mrs. Weasley stepped forward. "Well Harry we'll get you all settled in and then I'll make you some cake."

Harry's eyes widened a bit at the extravagant idea of cake. "Really?"

"Oh yes, dear. Your favorite too." Mrs. Weasley smiled and went to finalize the departure plans. Ginny studied Harry who looked down again, the smile slipping from his face.

"You don't remember your favorite do you."

"Well I can't remember anything else now can I. What makes this any different?"

"I'm sorry." Ginny stood up to leave.

"No Ginny, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped."

She sighed and turned around, her hurt getting the best of her. "Look, Harry, I know this is frustrating. Believe me, I know." Her voice rose. "Yes you've lost eight years but I've lost -" She bit her tongue. _Stupid girl. _

Harry's voice softened. "What, Ginny? What have you lost?"

"It doesn't matter." She turned her head, hiding her eyes that were rapidly glassing over.

"Yes it does. I want to know what I meant to you. I want to know that I mean something to someone."

"Of course you mean something to me. I wouldn't be here if you didn't."

"Is that why Ron and Hermione stay here too?"

"Yes. You mean a lot to all of us." Harry remained silent. "You are a part of this family. Whether you remember it or not, you are still Harry."

"I want to remember."

"I know." In a move that surprised them both, Ginny reached over and squeezed his hand. She turned to leave.

"Chocolate."

She stopped and faced him once again. "What?"

Harry looked up, a strange but confident look on his face.

"My favorite is chocolate."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ron paced up and down for the umpteenth time that day, leaving a beaten path in the wooden floor of the Burrow kitchen

"Mum, I just don't get it! Why does Ginny get to stay with him and we have to wait here?" Mrs. Weasley ignored his complaints and continued with the chores.

"Now, Ron, you heard what the Healer said. And Lupin agrees." Hermione tried to be the voice of reason for every lap that Ron walked.

"Well it's not fair. I'm his best mate!" If the Weasley's had one thing other than red hair, it was stubbornness.

Hermione sharply looked up at him. "And what am I?"

"A mate."

Her jaw dropped. "But not best mate?"

Ron's pacing stopped, finally. "Well, no…But Hermione you're a girl."

Her eyes went wide as her jaw dropped further. "So because I'm a girl, I can't be Harry's friend? Gee, I wonder why Ginny's with him right now."

Ron rolled his eyes at her sarcasm. "That's a can of worms I don't even want to get into… And it's not that. That's Ginny. We don't get into Harry and Ginny. If we get into that, we won't come out alive."

Despite her anger, Hermione laughed for Ron had a point. But he began again, making her mad all over again. "Harry can just tell me certain things that he can't tell you, because I'm a guy. Nothing against you, or any other member of the female sex."

Hermione crossed her arms, a formidable foe to cross when perturbed. "Well, Ronald, sit down before your family has to redo their kitchen floor."

Turning pink in the ears, he slumped into the seat next to her. A ministry car outside the door made him jump up two seconds later. "They're here!"

Hermione tugged his arm and brought him crashing back into the chair. "Don't make a scene. Do you want to make things any more awkward for Harry than they're already going to be?"

He dropped his head. "No."

"Good. Now go see if they need help with anything." Without arguing, he got up and went outside.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry had stepped out of the car and was looking up in awe at the house.

"Hiya, Harry." Ron shoved his hands in his pockets.

Harry tore his gaze away from the house to greet him. "Hey." He gestured towards the house. "It's brilliant."

Ron smiled remembering Harry's first journey to the Burrow and their midnight flight from the Dursleys. "Glad you think so. Come on in. Need a hand?"

Harry was still surprised whenever anyone offered him help. "Uh, sure. Thanks."

Ron took a bag from the car and Ginny handed him another. "Here. Make yourself useful."

Ron looked at her indignantly. "I am!" Ginny snorted and led Harry into the house. Ron grumbled and followed.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The pictures had all been removed. Harry no longer beamed back up from the moving frame. Ginny sighed and moved towards her bed. It was surprising how much one could miss their bed when they spent all of their time in a hospital ward. Not even bothering to take off her shoes, Ginny fell forward and was asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The bag hit the floor with a thud and the young man took cautious steps around the room. He ran his fingers over the orange blanket on the bed. "Chudley Cannons." He frowned. He knew that name. He moved towards the bureau and looked at all of the little pieces of memorabilia on it: chess pieces, a pin with a shiny "P" on it, playing cards that had pictures of older people on them.

_The young boy with red hair stuffed his face with a chocolate frog. The countryside whipped by outside. He has dirt on his nose, but Harry doesn't feel like it's his place to tell him._

"_Has anyone seen a toad?...A boy named Neville's lost one."_

"Harry?" He jumped at the voice, the vision fading. "Are you all right?"

He turned to find Hermione standing in the doorway.

"Um, yeah fine. Just thinking."

She moved into the room, picking up stray things Ron had left scattered around. "What about?"

"Stuff." He gestured around the room. "It all seems so familiar. But I can't place it."

She half-smiled at him and moved towards the bureau. "It takes time."

"Yeah that I've figured out. This is Ron's room isn't it."

She nodded. "How'd you know?"

He pointed at the playing cards. "He was eating a chocolate frog on a train…that came with it."

Her eyes went wide. "Harry you're remembering!"

He leaned his elbows on the bureau and put his head in his hands. "But I can't piece it all together. I remember little bits, but the big picture isn't becoming clear. I can't make sense of it all!"

_Crack!_ They both jumped back to see the mirror split in two.

"Did…did I do that?"

She looked at him and nodded.

"See. You're a wizard after all."

-------------------

"Pass the potatoes, please."

Harry's eyes followed the dish as it levitated past his head.

"Thanks, mum." Ron grabbed hold of the spoon and lowered the bowl to the table. "Hey, do you think McGonagall's gonna reopen Hogwarts now that everything's over?" He winced as Ginny kicked him hard under the table. Harry looked blankly between the two. He chose not to ask questions and returned to his food.

"So Harry, are you comfortable in your room?"

"Oh yes. It's great. Big."

Ron suddenly looked up, still massaging his leg. Never had he heard his room referred to as big before. Then again, compared to a broom cupboard, it was enormous. Ginny gave Harry a sympathizing look, who remained silent for the rest of the night.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_The manky old hat sat on the stool and sang a song about "sorting." What was sorting? And why was a hat singing? The visions flew at him and it was all he could to take every one of them in. _

Harry sat up in bed so rapidly he fell to the floor. There was scuffling outside the door and Ron entered a moment later, his hair tussled and his eyes heavy with sleep.

"Harry, are you all right? I heard a noise…what are you doing on the floor?"

"I fell."

Ron eyed him. "Did you have a dream?"

Harry looked up and nodded. Ron reached out a hand and helped him off the floor. Harry tried to get the sheets untangled from around his legs. He sat on the bed and after staring at the floor for a moment, he finally met Ron's eyes.

"What's a Gryffindor?"

…

More later. I swear. More plot, more Ginny, more memories, blah blah blah. Midterms really take it of you.  Please review to cheer me up.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter III

The sun rose over a relatively quiet morning at Ottery St-Catchpole. All in the Burrow were asleep except one. The young man sat on the edge of the Chudley Cannons bed and massaged his temples. He thought if he rubbed hard enough, perhaps his memory would come back of its own volition. Running a hand through his exceptionally unruly hair, he let out a deep sigh. Harry wanted to remember more than anything. The people he met, Ron, Hermione, this place…Ginny. He liked her most of all. He wasn't sure why, but he wanted to find out. He stood up and stretched, reaching his fingertips towards the ceiling. How had he gotten so tall? A creak outside broke him out of his musings and he went to the window.

A familiar red-head was breaking into the back shed. She disappeared for a moment before reappearing a second later, broom in hand. Harry smiled at the sight of her. His eyes followed her as she took off into the sky and he felt a longing inside of him. Whether it was for the broom or the girl on it, he couldn't be sure. Knowing that sleep was no longer an option he threw some clothes on and went noiselessly down the stairs.

Ginny moved as if she was born on a broom. Making an effortless landing, she glided to the ground and jumped off her Firebolt. It had been a present from her brothers during her seventh year. It didn't get much use after that. Closing up the shed, she wiped her forehead on her shirt as she made her way to the kitchen door.

"Morning!"

Ginny gasped and jumped back several steps. "Harry! What are you doing up?"

"I couldn't sleep." He looked down and shuffled his feet, afraid that he had frightened her or intruded on a time that she wanted to spend alone. She smiled at him and noticed two cups of tea waiting on the table behind him.

"You made tea?"

He glanced over his shoulder. "Well, yeah. At the Dursley's it was one of the things I was best at."

Ginny smiled and nodded in understanding.

Harry moved out of the way so she could pass. "How come you're up so early?"

She glanced up at him. "Couldn't sleep." She moved around the kitchen, pulling out milk, sugar, and spoons. "How much sugar, Harry?"

He looked up surprised. "I don't know. They never let me drink the tea. I was just supposed to make it."

Ginny look down and put in two small spoonfuls. "Here, try this."

He didn't remember all of the cups of tea that he drank at this very table. She knew exactly how much sugar he took. She wanted to see if he did. He took a sip.

"Mm. That's good."

She smiled. "I guessed right then." She sat across from him, suddenly conscious that she was wearing just shorts and Ron's old Quidditch T-shirt. Not to mention she had been flying for the better part of an hour and a half. She wasn't looking her best. She cleared her throat to alleviate the awkward silence that had fallen. "So how are the memories coming?"

He shrugged. "They come and go. Still can't make sense of the lot of them…You were in one last night."

Her head snapped up. "Really? What was it?"

He shifted in his seat and his face flushed a bit. "It was nothing."

Ginny arched her eyebrows at him. "Harry, a memory is never nothing. You can tell me."

He stared the hot liquid in his cup. "Well, have I – have we…have I ever kissed you?"

Ginny smiled and felt her ears go pink at the memory. Harry waited patiently as she paused, seemingly lost in her thoughts. "Yes you have."

Harry finally looked up from his teacup. "That's why you seem so familiar. There's something about you. Just you. I feel like I know you more than anyone else."

"Well you do know me better than anyone else…or at least you did." Harry looked at her pained. "It's all right, Harry. I know it's not your fault." She spun her teacup in her hand.

"But we were really close. Close enough that I kissed you at one time."

Now it was her turn to look pained. "Harry you haven't kissed me in a long time."

xxxxxxxxxx

"_Lily! Don't eat that!" The little girl looked up, trapped. She scrunched up her nose and let her lower lip wobble as her big green eyes filled up with tears. "No, no, no, Lily, honey. Daddy didn't mean it." She let out a sob and buried her head in the floor. The young man bent down and picked up the little girl, pressing her red curls into his shoulder. "Shhhhh. Daddy didn't mean it."_

"_Oh boy." The young man looked up at his wife standing in the doorway. "She has you absolutely wrapped around her finger." _

_He smiled and walked over to her as his daughter quieted down. _

"_She's not the only one…"_

"Harry!"

His green eyes flew open and he fell out of his chair with a yelp.

"Harry, are you all right?" Hermione rushed over and helped him to his feet. He looked around the kitchen dazed. "Harry. At least say something."

"What happened?"

"You fell asleep at the table. Ginny didn't want to wake you."

Harry's eyes stopped wandering at the sound of her name. "Ginny! Where is she?"

Hermione looked at him questioningly. "She went upstairs to take a bath. Harry, please sit do -"

"I have to talk to her."

xxxxxxxxxxx

Harry paced back and forth in Ginny's room. Hermione watched him with her eyes from her seat on the bed.

"Harry, for goodness sake, sit down!" The door opened and Harry stopped in his pacing only to find the wrong red-head poke his head in.

"What's goin on?" Ron opened the door fully. Harry continued pacing, and Hermione looked helplessly at Ron.

"I have no idea. He won't tell me. He's waiting for Ginny."

"Ginny?"

Hermione nodded. She and Ron shared a look, knowing that Harry was inadvertently leading Ron's sister along. What they didn't want was for Harry to wake up with his memory restored and remember that he broke it off with Ginny…years ago. The last thing that any of them wanted was for Ginny to get hurt. She had been hurt enough already.

"What about Ginny?" There she stood in her doorway in nothing but a towel. "And what is with the party in my room?"

"Ginny, I have to ta -" The sentenced was never completed as Harry got a full look at Ginny's lack of clothing.

"Oh hi, Harry." Ginny unconsciously sidestepped so Hermione was partially hiding her.

Ron cleared his throat. "Harry, could I have a word?"

"But I have to talk to Gin -" Ron grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the room.

Once gone, Ginny looked at Hermione. "What was all that about?"

"I have no idea. He wouldn't talk to us. I figure Ron's just letting you get dressed before he lets Harry back in."

Ginny nodded in confusion and distractedly started pulling out clothes. "Why was he so upset?"

"It must have been the dream." Ginny stopped opening drawers. "He woke up so abruptly from one in the kitchen that he fell out of his chair…I'll send Harry in when you're done."

Ginny nodded absently and started pulling clothes on as Hermione shut the door.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

_Knock, knock. _

"Come in."

Harry poked his head around the door, thankful to find a fully clothed Ginny sitting on her bed. "Hey, Harry."

"Hi." He stood in the doorway.

"So…you want to tell me what happened?"

"I, um, I'm not really sure."

Ginny's brow creased. "Why not?"

"I just, don't quite understand it. Is it possible to see visions of the…future? Instead of memories of the past?"

Ginny sat back on her bed, closing her book. "I'm not sure, Harry. What did you see?"

"Just a dream."

She sighed. "Harry if you don't want to talk about it, I understand. But at least stop hovering in my doorway."

Harry smiled and entered the room. He stopped a foot from her bed. "I was older. Maybe mid twenties."

Ginny nodded encouragingly. She wouldn't force him to say anything. If he wanted to open up to her, that was his decision. "What were you doing?"

Harry took in a deep breath. "I was reprimanding someone."

Ginny looked confused. "Reprimanding? Who were-"

"My daughter."

Ginny's eyes went wide and her jaw slightly dropped. "Your daughter? Harry these dreams could just be dreams. They may not be visions."

He shook his head. "You told me I kissed you once."

Ginny closed her mouth looked confused. "Yes, Harry you did."

"My daughter had green eyes…and red hair."

Ginny felt for the bed as the air went out of her lungs.

xxxxxxxxx

"Now, Harry, tell me again. What did your daughter look like?" Ginny was up off the bed and pacing the floor.

Harry put his head in his hands, repeating his dream for the 53rd time in the past fifteen minutes. He just happened to leave out the part that Ginny was his wife.

"She had my eyes, my mother's eyes. Her name was Lily."

Ginny continued pacing. "And what about her hair."

Harry sighed. "It was red."

Ginny stopped, just like she had done 52 times before that.

"Red."

"Yes. Red. Look Ginny, I'm sorry if this upsets you."

"No, Harry. I'm sorry. I'm overreacting…It's just strange. You can't even remember the past. How can you see the future?"

"If it is the future." Harry felt that she needed that reminder. Little did he know that Harry's dream didn't upset or disturb Ginny. In fact, it did quite the opposite. It gave her hope.

"Was there anything else in the dream?"

Harry thought for a moment. _"She has you absolutely wrapped around her finger." "She's not the only one."_

"No."

xxxxxxxxxx

Dinner passed quietly and awkwardly. Ron and Hermione kept trying to silently communicate with Ginny, trying to figure out any tidbits of information that they could get without announcing them to the whole table. Ginny kept her eyes focused on her food, ignoring the attempts by Ron and Hermione, occasionally chancing a glance at Harry across the table.

"Ginny, you're awfully quiet tonight."

The girl glanced up from her plate and looked at her mother. "Just not hungry, Mum."

"Not hungry? Goodness, are you sick? Running a fever?"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "I'm fine, Mum. Just because the rest of this family eats their body weight in potatoes doesn't mean that I have to too. I'm just not hungry."

Molly eyed her and returned to her meal, Ron continued to shovel food into his mouth, but Harry stared at her, trying to catch her eye. This was one attempt that Ginny didn't ignore. She looked up and met his gaze. The sudden attention took Harry by surprise and he wasn't quite sure what to do. He gave her a reassuring smile and when she returned it, he resumed eating.

xxxxxxxxxxx

"_Ginny!" He frantically looked around, squinting his eyes in the smoke. "Ginny!" It burned and he coughed as he stumbled his way through. _

"_Harry!" He turned, searching for her voice. _

"_Ginny?" He stopped. There she was, standing just thirty feet in front of him. "Ginny." It was more of a whisper, a reassurance to himself that she was indeed alive. He stumbled through the screaming wounded and silent dead, paying no heed to flying curses and spells. All he needed to do was get to her. She met him halfway and collapsed into his arms. He pulled her tight against him, burying his face in her sooty hair. He held her at arm's length and looked at her. _

"_Are you all right?" She nodded despite the blood that ran down the side of her face. Pain shot up her right leg and she grimaced. _

"_I'm alive…Are you all right?" He nodded. "Where is he?" _

"_I don't –I don't know. I can't find him. Then again, I guess he'll come to me right?" Ginny swallowed hard. _

"_I guess so…Stupefy!" Harry spun just in time to see a Death Eater fall to the ground. He turned back to Ginny. _

"_I have to get you out of here."_

"_No Harry. Don't even bother. I'm not going anywhere." He looked in her eyes and knew she was right. They both turned at the sound of Voldemort's voice in the distance. Green flashes were flying, clearing his path, and Harry knew he didn't have much time. He looked back at Ginny, desperation in his eyes. _

"_Go." Her face grew hard. "Ginny, I mean it. I want you as far away from here as possible." He held her away even further. _

"_Harry-"_

"_Ginny, my whole life has been coming towards this moment. I was born to do it. I'm ready. I can finally say I'm ready. No matter the outcome. You don't have to be here!"_

"_Yes I do! Because I care about the outcome! Harry, don't you get it? You're more than just the goddamn Boy Who Lived to me! I can't do this without you!"_

_He swallowed hard and tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear. "Gin, you're stronger than that. You can do this. I know you can." He smiled at her, despite the tear that fell down his cheek. She held back a sob. She wasn't going to say good luck, good bye, or anything like that. It wasn't her and he didn't need it. Whatever would happen would happen. She would just have to wait. _

"_Come home, Harry. Tell me I'll see you at home." She gripped his arms tighter. "Please?" The tears ran harder. "I'll see you at home?"_

_For the last time, Harry placed his hand on her cheek, pulling her in for a kiss. Finally, Ginny pushed away and took a step back. Harry gripped her hand._

"_I'll see you at home." With that, he let go._

The hardwood floor left an unpleasant soreness in his joints as he picked up the covers and placed them back on the bed. For the first time in a while, he actually noticed the scars that covered his body, really noticed them. Walking over to the mirror, he looked at the marks on his abdomen. Glancing at his face, he saw his eyes were puffy and bloodshot. Had he been crying in his sleep? Harry shook the dream from his mind and focused on his arm. There were two scars. One long and thin. The other, smaller, rounder. Both obviously deep. Lighter scars graced his hands, arms, and legs. Turning around, there were more on his back, some that hadn't even quite healed yet. He rubbed his face. What have I done?

There was a soft knock on the door. He turned abruptly, knocking over a bottle. A new product from Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. Making sure the cap was still on tight, he went over to the door to find Ginny standing on the other side.

"Hi." She looked at him, only clad in pajama pants.

"Hi." She wasn't wearing much either: small boxer shorts and another of her brother's old t-shirts from when they were younger. It was a bit tight for her now.

"Is everything all right?"

Ginny nodded. "I actually came to check up on you. I could hear you across the hall and I wanted to make sure you were okay."

"What did you hear?" He was suddenly fearful.

"Just a thud. And judging by the pillow on the floor and the haphazard way your sheets are thrown on your bed, I'm guessing you made said "thud."

He smirked a bit, knowing she had gotten it exactly right. "Indeed I did. I have the bruise to prove it."

She smiled and he motioned her in the room. The sun hadn't quite yet risen and the mist was leaving water on the windowpane. She placed her hand up against it and let it cool her palm.

"Dream or memory?" She didn't face him, but rather blew fog on the window and traced a pattern in it.

"Memory. I think. Or just a really bad dream."

She looked over her shoulder at him. "You've had a lot of those in your life."

"Have I?"

She smiled sadly. "Well there's one piece of information I'm giving you."

"Great. I don't sleep well. As if I couldn't have figured that out on my own." He rubbed his elbow which was the unfortunate appendage that collided with the nightstand.

"Your dreams are different."

"How?"

Ginny stopped her tracing. She had to tread lightly here. "Well…sometimes you see things as they're happening. Visions almost. For instance, one time, you saw my dad get hurt in a dream and because of you, he's alive."

Harry sat up straighter. "I remember that! That was that night! When you were curled up by the fireplace and Ron was sitting next to you! We were waiting for something. That must have been it. Word on your dad."

Ginny nodded. "Yep, that was it."

"So these…visions. Are they of the future?"

Ginny stiffened and her heartbeat quickened. She knew what Harry was prodding for. "I don't know. I don't think so. You never really talked to me about them. You always went to Ron and Hermione."

"Why didn't I go to you?"

Ginny shrugged. "Well Ron and Hermione were…are your best friends."

"Then how come they aren't in my dreams? How come I'm not sitting here talking with them?"

Ginny sighed. "Because Harry. Right now, you're different. You're not completely Harry. You're missing seven years of your life. All of those memories with Ron and Hermione are gone. You and I didn't really become friends until two years ago. I mean we were together a lot. But we didn't talk, and certainly not like this. Ron and Hermione were with you from the start. From age eleven."

"But I kissed you once."

"Like I said, Harry. It was a long time ago."

Harry stood up frustrated. "I just don't get it. I have these dreams about you and I don't know what they mean. I see the hurt looks on Ron and Hermione's faces when I'm not being who I was. I see the hurt look in your eyes every time you look at me. I know that look. I've seen it before and it's haunted me. That's why I remember it."

Ginny stood up and walked over to him. "Harry, what do you dream about?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Talking might help you. It might trigger another memory."

"I don't like these memories! They're painful! I'm sure it was bad enough to actually live them but to relive them again in my mind…I can't do it. I don't like the life I had!"

Ginny took a step back. "Then you're ungrateful. Because you had people who loved you. And who still love you. You just won't let them." With that, she walked towards the door.

"I'm came home."

Ginny stopped but didn't dare turn. "What?"

Harry took a step closer. "I promised you I'd see you at home. When we said goodbye. I kissed you, and made that promise. I just wanted to tell you that I didn't break it." He took another step.

Ginny's shoulders began to shake. "Is that what you dreamt?"

"No. It's what I remembered. I was fighting a war and I thought I was going to die. You thought I was going to die too, even though you wouldn't admit it. I was fighting Voldemort. Honestly, I'm a little shady as to who he is, but I won. And I came home." Ginny finally turned and let Harry see the tears running down her cheeks. He took another step closer. "I don't like war and I don't like having to say goodbye to you. That's why I don't like that life. That one moment was full of more pain than my life up until now. Granted I only remember up until I was 10. Who knows what happened from 11-18. But I felt something in that dream, a feeling that I've never felt before. I can't describe it but it gave me hope. Hope that maybe parts of my life were good and they meant something. Maybe I meant something."

Ginny finally faced him and he saw the tears that she was failing to hold back. "Harry, you do mean something. You have no idea. To me, to this family, Merlin to the whole world! I'm not joking. Do you remember me in that dream?" Harry nodded. "Could you see me? See my face, my eyes, my hands?" He nodded again. "That's how much you mean. That even in the middle of a war, my main focus was you. My hands were gripping your arms, not some weapon. My eyes were looking into yours, not around me for enemies. My face had tears on it not for friends that I had already lost, but because there was a chance that I would never see you again. And you have no idea how much that frightened me. I wasn't scared for myself. I was scared for you."

Both fell silent. Ginny sat back down on the bed and Harry leaned against the window. Several minutes passed before anyone spoke.

Deep in thought, Ginny looked at Harry. "You were lying to me earlier."

Harry's head snapped up. "What?"

"When you were talking about the vision of your daughter. You were lying. I could tell." His brow creased in confusion. "You can't fool me, Harry Potter. I know every look you've got. I can tell when you're lying, when you're scared and trying to hide it. I know a lot about you."

"Yeah, more than I know about myself."

"I can also tell when you're bitter." She raised her eyebrows at him and he smiled. "So…what were you lying about?"

"I wasn't lying."

"Come on, Harry. Why do you think I made you repeat the dream so many times? For my health?"

"Everything I told you is true."

Ginny looked at the floor for a second before meeting his eyes again. "Okay…so what didn't you tell me?" Harry's eyes widened the slightest bit and Ginny knew she had him. "Harry I know there's something more to that dream."

He sighed. "You don't want to know."

She never broke her gaze. "Yes I do."

"Fine. In the dream, my daughter was trying to eat something that had fallen on the floor. I told her not to and she started crying. So I picked her up and you were standing in the doorway. Somehow I knew you were my wife."

Ginny was silent for an agonizing three seconds before she responded. "Well I knew that."

Harry stood up straight. "What? You did?"

Ginny stood up from the bed and headed over to the door.

"Yes. Come on. Red hair? Who were you going to marry…Ron?"

She headed back to her bedroom leaving a very perplexed Harry standing in the middle of his own.

……

More future stuff, more memories to come. Don't go anywhere.

(come on, you know you want to review…)


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter IV

The rain pelted the blackened windows as Harry watched another sleepless night tick by. Sleep was a funny thing. He gambled every time he closed his eyes. He had a 50/50 chance of getting a horrifying nightmare or a confusing, yet pleasant vision. He didn't know what to do, the dreams confusing him to no end. So he waited until morning, until the sky held swirls of pink and orange.

He stood up and threw a shirt on, deciding that anything would be better than sleep. Hot tea sounded good, especially now that he knew how much sugar he took. Sighing, he opened the door and went downstairs. The coldness of the early morning made him shiver as his bare feet tiptoed their way down the stairs. He halted two from the bottom, realizing that someone was in the kitchen. Drawing out his wand, he very slowly entered and what he saw made him lower his wand and stand in his place.

Ginny sat at the table with her head in her hands. Her shoulders shook with quiet crying, a cold cup of tea in front of her. Harry took a step forward, causing a floorboard to creak. Ginny straightened and hurriedly wiped the tears from her cheeks. Harry knew he was caught, so he made an attempt to speak to her.

"Ginny?"

She sniffed and wiped her face one more time. "Hi Harry."

"Are you all right?" He was apprehensive, not wanting to invade her privacy, so he stood at a distance.

She nodded and continued to stare at her tea. Anything was better than meeting his eyes. "I'm fine."

"No you're not." He chanced another step. "You're crying."

"I know." She said it so matter-of-factly yet she still didn't look up.

"But why are you crying?"

She smiled weakly and finally met his eyes. "For too many reasons to get into tonight."

Harry pulled out the chair across from her and sat in it. "Well it's early, and judging by our sleep patterns, we have a few more hours."

She rested her head up against her hand, leaning her elbow on the table. "Why are you here, Harry?"

The question took him by surprise and he sat up straight. "What do you mean?"

"Why are you here? Why are you down here with me? You should be upstairs sleeping."

"Well I could turn the same question around on you. Why are you here? Last time I checked, you were leaving my room in a relatively tear-free mood. And an hour later you're down here crying in the kitchen by yourself. What happened?"

Ginny looked down and played with her hands. "Everything happened, Harry."

He leaned forward placing his wand on the table. "What do you mean, 'everything?"

Ginny looked at his wand and smiled. "Harry, what were you going to do with that?"

He glanced down and smiled too. "I don't know, scare someone. I can't remember how the bloody thing works."

Ginny laughed but the reality that Harry couldn't remember how to use his wand sobered her quickly.

Harry looked at her again, trying to meet her eyes. "Ginny, you're avoiding my question. What happened?"

"This! This happened, Harry! And everything before it!"

Harry looked up and Ginny had never seen such a lost look in his eyes before. "Ginny, I don't know what happened before it. I'm trying. Really, I am."

Ginny closed her eyes and let a tear fall down her cheek. "I know you are Harry."

They sat there in silence, letting the rain create a soothing drum on the outside window.

"Harry, do me a favor." He jumped slightly at her voice but nodded. "Close your eyes." He gave her a quizzical look but closed them. "Now, tell me what you see, what you think, when I say the word "graveyard."

xxxxxxxxxxxx

The dust settled around the yard as Ron came skidding to a halt. Hermione leaned against the doorway, arms crossed over her chest.

"Ron, running yourself ragged on your broomstick is not going to bring him back any faster."

He wiped his forehead on his sleeve. "No, but it helps pass the time."

She sighed and stepped forward, into the open yard.

"It's strange. Not having to worry about wards and wars and battles. I could very well leave my wand in my room and not have a care in the world." Ron eyed her before gently grabbing her arm and spinning her around, revealing her wand in her back pocket. "All right, well I'm not that comfortable yet!"

Ron smiled. "You want a go?" He held the broom out to her.

"I'm good, thank you." She backed away.

"Come on, Hermione. I wouldn't let anything happen to you."

She looked into his face and knew he was right. She still wasn't touching that broom though. Ever since her parents had been killed in London at the end of last summer, Ron had been watchful of Hermione's every move; overly protective so that no harm came to her either. Ron conceded and they took a seat in the kitchen doorway.

Hermione glanced over at the man she was rapidly falling in love with, if she wasn't already there. "Do you think he'll come back?"

Ron stared out at the yard, not answering Hermione's question right away. "Yes…He will. He has to."

"I know he's been different. To us." Hermione bent a blade of grass between her fingers.

"He doesn't know us, Hermione. It'll change when he remembers."

She looked at him. "But what if he doesn't?"

Ron finally met her gaze. "He will."

Ron leaned against the door and closed his eyes, letting the sun warm his already flushed face. He let out a yelp moments later when the door was removed from behind his back and he fell at someone's feet. "Oh, hiya, Harry."

Harry jumped back and looked at Ron lying sprawled across his trainers. "Hi, Ron. Um, what are you doing down there?"

"You know, the usual. Admiring the woodwork." Ron pointed to the doorframe above Harry's head. Harry arched his eyebrow at him but smiled. Ron knocked on the side frame. "Good solid oak."

Hermione ignored Ron and turned to Harry. "Harry, are you all right? You look a bit peaky."

"I'm okay." He shoved his hands in his pockets. "Just…remembering things."

"Like what?"

Harry sighed and sat down next to Ron, who shared a look with Hermione. She touched his arm, knowing that the simple act of sitting on a step had given Ron the hope he pretended to have.

"Cedric Diggory. The graveyard. That night. It all came back to me last night."

Hermione jumped up and sat on the other side of Harry, not an easy task when three people were squeezed into one doorframe.

"Oh Harry, I'm so sorry."

"Well, I mean I'm happy I remembered because it's one step closer, yeah? I just…why would I want to remember something so awful? I never knew my life would be like that."

"But Harry, you have had some wonderful things in your life too." She squeezed his arm and he looked at the two of them and smiled.

"Yeah I have."

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry returned to the kitchen some hours later after a broom refresher from Ron. He found it utterly exhilarating. When the three entered laughing and disheveled Mrs. Weasley saw a light at the end of the tunnel. So she made a decision.

"We're going to Diagon Alley."

Ginny looked up from her book, startled. "What?"

Mrs. Weasley turned from her baking. "We're going to Diagon Alley. You've all been cooped up in here and I think it's high time that we got some fresh air."

Ginny glanced sideways at Harry. His brow was creased and he was thinking hard. Ginny knew he was rolling the words around in his head, trying to figure out why they were so familiar. _Diagon Alley. _Ron and Hermione shrugged their shoulders and dragged Harry upstairs to wash up. Harry stole one glance at Ginny before his form disappeared.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

The street was bustling with pointy hats, flowing robes, and owl cages. Other than his stint in the hospital, Harry had never seen so many witches and wizards. He touched his hand to his face and still found it odd that his glasses were missing, even though he had repeatedly attempted to adjust his glasses twenty times previously only to fine that they were not present. Mrs. Weasley had changed his features for the venture into wizarding society. Until he got his memory back in full, it would be best to keep recognition at a minimum. His hair was brown, not black, eyes blue, not green. He had no need for glasses anymore because of an ocular spell. But the biggest transformation was that his scar was gone. The change would only last a few hours but it was enough to get them to Diagon Alley and back.

"Come on, Harry! Quality Quidditch Supply is having a sale! Half off for broom cleaner!" Ron grabbed Harry's arm and led him away from the crowd.

"Ronald, you have him back here in twenty minutes!" Mrs. Weasley had her hands on her hips, pointing a finger in the direction of her youngest son.

"But Mum, twenty minutes will only get us through the front display!" Ron pouted as Mrs. Weasley frowned.

"Fine. Forty minutes. That's it."

Ron sighed in defeat but grabbed Harry all the same. "Come on, mate. We're on a tight schedule." Harry and Ron disappeared into the shop.

Hermione turned to Ginny, but the red-head cut her off. "No, Hermione, I am not going to Flourish and Blott's with you. You'll only lose me amongst the dust mites and I don't really feel like perusing literature that is older than Flamel."

Hermione shut her slack-jawed mouth and folded her arms. "Fine. But I wasn't going to look at the Reference section. I'm headed to New Arrivals."

Hermione turned and walked in the other direction as Ginny rolled her eyes. "There's no such thing as New Arrivals when she's shopping."

Mrs. Weasley smiled at her daughter, before giving her a nudge in the back. "Go keep her company."

Ginny smiled and followed Hermione's path to Flourish and Blott's. Two hours later, a heavily book laden Hermione slumped into a seat at Florean Fortescue's and brushed some hair from her face.

"Well I've had a very productive day. What about you two?"

Ron's eyes widened and his mouth formed the largest grin that Hermione had seen in a while. She didn't know whether to be happy for him or be wary of the damage they had probably done at the quidditch shop.

"Oh, just wait till you see." Ron smirked over to Harry who grinned in response.

"Oh no. That can't be good. Ronald, what did you do? Your mother's going to kill you isn't she."

Ron's face paled. "No!...Well I hadn't really thought about Mum…but wait till you see it!"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I hope you picked your favorite flavor, Ron. This could very well be your last ice cream."

Ron's smiled slipped off of his face as he thought of presenting his new acquirement to his mother.

Harry cleared his throat and patted his friend on the back, eager to change the subject.

"So, where's Ginny?"

Hermione huffed. "Oh she left me about an hour into the endeavor. I don't know where she went."

Ron looked at Hermione. "Well can you blame the poor girl? Who would want to be stuck in Flourish and Blotts for two hours?" Ron received a glare in return.

"Maybe we should go look for her-" Harry was cut off as Ginny walked in through the door. She waved on her way to the counter to get her ice cream. Harry's eyes followed her as she went.

"Harry. Harry? Oi, Harry!"

The now blue-eyed boy jumped and turned to Ron. "Huh?"

"Hermione and I are going for a walk. Do you mind keeping Ginny company?"

Harry cleared his throat again. "Uh, no. That's – no. Not a problem."

Ron inwardly smiled at his friend's search for words. Perhaps Hermione's plan would work. He grinned as he followed Hermione out the door. "You sure you know what you're doing?"

Hermione smiled. "If you had seen the way he had been looking at her, you'd be doing the same thing."

Ron frowned at the thought of Harry staring at his sister."Well I don't know about that."

Back in the shop, Harry was attempting to keep his breathing under control and his butterflies at a minimum. Why was this happening to him? He had never felt this way before. He was so busy battling his inner self that he didn't hear Ginny approach. She flopped down in Hermione's chair, causing Harry to jump.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to frighten you. Where'd Ron and Hermione go?"

Harry looked at her and tried to keep the blush from his cheeks. "They, um, they went for a walk."

Ginny absently nodded and licked her strawberry ice cream. After a few minutes, Ginny broke the awkward silence. "So what did you and Ron buy at the quidditch store?"

Harry grinned."Just you wait."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Oh it can't be that exciting."

Harry shrugged. "For Ron it is….Your mum's gonna kill him."

Ginny arched her eyebrows. "Well just make sure I'm present when he tells her about that. That's something I'd like to witness."

Harry laughed. "Okay."

"Harry, do you want to go on a walk? Maybe, help you remember a bit more of Diagon Alley?"

Harry slowly nodded. A walk with Ginny sounded lovely. Until Ginny began to giggle.

"What's so funny?"

She pointed to him. "Harry, you have a bit of, um, chocolate on your face."

His eyes went wide and he hurriedly wiped it off. Ginny recovered from her giggles and looked at him.

"Gone?"

She nodded. "Gone."

"Good. Let's go."

Ginny led the way out of Florean Fortescue's and onto the busy street. "So where would you like to venture?"

Harry shrugged. "I don't know. You're the tour guide."

She rolled her eyes and began to walk. "Be helpful or I'll send you to Flourish and Blotts for the rest of the day."

Harry scrunched his face at the thought. "No thanks. I'm all right in the book department."

Ginny had begun to walk towards the old book store and Harry got a terrified feeling that she would hold true to her word. As he was about to beg her to take him somewhere else, he got another feeling. He stopped abruptly in the middle of the street, causing Ginny to turn around and look at him questioningly.

"Harry?...Harry, are you all right?"

"_Harry, what are you doing in here!" _

_He brought a hand to her mouth. "Shhhhh." _

_She giggled and pulled her robe up, hiding her scantily clad body. "Harry, you aren't supposed to be here. There's a reason it's the witches' dressing room." _

_He smiled that smile that she loved oh so much."I know…But you were taking too long. So I thought I would just come to you."_

"_In the witches' dressing room?"_

"_Yes, in the witches' dressing room." _

_Ginny brought her hand to her mouth to stifle her laughs. _

_Harry grinned. "I'm sorry, I just couldn't help myself." He leaned down and kissed her slowly. Not having a care for it anymore, her robe slipped to the ground._

"Harry!"

He snapped out of his stare and looked at a very worried Ginny."What? Sorry?"

"Harry, you wouldn't answer me. You just stood there, staring at that sign. It's like you were in another world."

He looked at his shoes. "I was."

"What?"

Harry pointed at the shop."Madam Malkin's. I jumped in on you in a dressing room in there. I kissed you in there."

Ginny closed her eyes, remembering when they had sort of gotten back together before the final battle. She used that term loosely. No one knew about it. Not even Ron and Hermione. She had finally convinced him that keeping her at a distance wasn't going to protect her any more than fighting alongside him would. She finally got him to let her love him. And in a spur of the moment, he had jumped in on her in the dressing room in Madam Malkin's while she was getting a new robe. She smiled at the memory.

"Yes you did, Harry." He began to walk slowly to the store. "Where are you going?"

"I want to see."

A confused Ginny followed him into the store. "See what?" She looked around at the mounds of fabric and dresses and robes and dress robes. "What's to see?"

Her question was answered when Harry headed towards the back of the store. He didn't need a sign to tell him where he was going. This was pure feeling. He stopped at the door. It had a symbol of a woman with a pointy hat. He took a deep breath and pushed the door open.

However, a scream caused him to quickly shut it. Harry turned around with his hands over his eyes.

"Sorry! I'm –my fault. Sorry." With his eyes still covered, he bumped into Ginny, who was on the verge of exploding with laughter. "Ginny!"

She turned red trying to contain herself, but she wasn't as red as the witch who scurried out of the dressing room, her robes all twisted at having thrown them on in a rush. Once the poor thing was out of earshot, Ginny slid down the wall in hysterics. Harry finally uncovered his eyes and glared at her.

"Not funny."

Ginny was laughing too hard to respond. She just managed a nod. He finally couldn't deny the humor in the situation any longer and he smiled, sticking a hand out to help Ginny off the floor. He sighed as she finally calmed down and he turned back towards the dressing room, fully confident that it was now empty. He didn't, however, let go of Ginny's hand. Or maybe she didn't let go of his. Either way, it was making his heart thump. He pushed the door open and stepped inside, the lush purple chair making his nose scrunch.

"Well if there's one thing you can say about Madam Malkin, it's that she has good taste."

Ginny laughed again and looked around the small room, her eyes resting on him. "Why did you come here, Harry?"

He kept looking around, never at her. "I don't know. I wanted to see it. I wanted to know that something like that actually happened and that it wasn't a dream…I wanted to know that this existed."

Ginny smiled sadly. "It did. And so did we…at one point."

Harry finally looked at her. He finally really looked at her and saw how broken she was. She hid it well. But he could see that what he was now doing to her, albeit unknowingly, was tearing her apart. He saw hurt, hope, and love in her eyes. And all three things scared him more than anything.

"Ginny, I-"

"Don't, Harry. Don't make it any worse than it has to be. I know you're trying. And that's good enough for me." She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes.

He had grown accustomed to her smiles. He stepped closer, knowing full well that their hands were still interlocked. "Ginny, I want to remember…I want you back. Whatever we had in this dressing room, I want it back." A tear slid down Ginny's cheek and he reached up with his free hand to wipe it away. "I don't want to hurt you anymore."

"Harry-" She was cut off as he bent down and caught her lips with his. She leaned into it, feeling its familiarity, its warmth. Her hand slid up into his hair and she pulled him in closer. He obliged by sliding his arm around her waist. She kissed the lips of the boy she loved, the man who had saved her, not remembering or not caring that that man had changed since then. She was still waiting for him to come back. The thought came screaming back to her and she pushed him away, bringing her fingers to her lips.

"I'm sorry, Harry. I'm so…I shouldn't have done that."

He didn't watch her as she ran out of Madam Malkin's, nor did he go after her. He stood alone in the empty dressing room, the feel of her lips still on his own.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ron fell out of the fireplace and stood up, brushing the soot off of himself.

"Hey Harry, you all right? You haven't seemed yourself since the ice cream parlour."

Harry nodded, running his hand through his now dark hair. "Yeah. Just ate too much probably."

"Well look at the time! We were there almost the entire day. Who wants dinner?" Ron's hand shot into the air at his mother's query, and Hermione rolled her eyes. "Harry, dear what about you?"

"I'm not hungry, Mrs. Weasley. But thank you."

Mrs. Weasley nodded and watched as he made his way towards the stairs. She looked around and noticed she was one child short. "Where did Ginny go?"

Harry halted a bit in his steps, a queasy feeling overcoming him.

"She flooed here first. She probably went up to her room." Hermione answered for Ron, who was busy salivating over the roast chicken in the oven.

Harry felt more horrible than any discomfort ice cream could have caused him. He went to his room and fell on the bed, hugging the pillow tight to his chest.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

"_Harry?" _

"_Hm?" _

_She approached him cautiously, though his eyes never left his magazine. "I, um, I'd like to talk to you."_

"_Okay, sweetie."_

_She sat on the small table across from him and rolled her eyes. "I would prefer it if you actually looked at me when I told you this."_

"_Huh, sorry?" _

_She yanked the magazine out of his hands and he yelped in response. "Ow! Gin, you gave me a paper cut."_

"_Well maybe you wouldn't have a paper cut, if you listened to your wife!" _

_Harry sighed but smiled at his wife and pulled her down next to him on the couch. "I'm sorry, Ginny. What did you want to talk about?" She looked at her hands, suddenly nervous. "Gin?"_

"_Harry…I'm pregnant." _

_She looked back up to see him staring at her wide-eyed and slack-jawed. "You're – you're…okay."_

"_Pregnant, Harry." _

"_Uh huh." He frantically nodded and stood up. "Okay so that means…"He began to pace._

"_We're going to have a baby." _

_He stopped his pacing and looked at his wife. His eyes flicked from hers to her stomach. "We're going to have a baby." He repeated as she nodded. A smile slowly started to spread across his face. _

"_And you're going to be a father." _

_The smile got bigger. "Gin…" He couldn't get out anymore words. He pulled his wife up into a hug and kissed her forehead, her nose, her lips. Then he bent down and kissed her stomach. Still on his knee, he stared up into her eyes. "You're amazing." _

_She smiled. "You're not too bad yourself." They stayed there like that for a while, until Ginny pulled him up and back onto the couch. "Well I if I had known that this is what it took to make the 'Boy Who Lived' turn to complete mush, I would've had your baby a lot sooner."_

The floorboards creaked under his weight as he made his way downstairs for another sleepless night. Despite all of the dreams he had had, this was one he couldn't shake. It was another vision of his future, a future he had with Ginny. He couldn't shake what it felt like to know that he was going to be a father. It was the most amazing feeling the world. He didn't want to shake. What he was worried about, was losing it. He couldn't bear to lose that future with Ginny now that he had finally gotten a glimpse of it. It wouldn't be fair. Then again, when did anything in his life seem. Even from the snippets he remembered, he knew he had gotten the rough end of the bargain.

It shouldn't have surprised him that she wouldn't be able to sleep either. It shouldn't have surprised him that she'd be in the kitchen, nursing a warm cup of tea. It shouldn't have, but it did. She looked up as he reached the last step and she looked back down at her cup as he approached. He cleared his throat.

"I was just getting some water. I won't be long."

She remained silent. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the nod of her head so he knew that she wasn't completely ignoring him. He filled his glass and turned to leave.

"Wait." He stopped but didn't turn. "I owe you an explanation."

"No you don't. I kissed you." He started towards the stairs again.

"And I kissed you back."

He stopped. "Look, Ginny, don't worry about it. It won't happen again." Even as the words left his mouth, he felt his heart constrict. He wanted that future so badly, but he felt it slipping.

"Harry…please don't go." She held back the remark that she wanted the kiss to happen again. She just didn't think it appropriate under the circumstances. But oh did she want it again. It just felt right.

"Why should I stay?"

She didn't have an answer immediately. "What did you dream about?"

"Huh?" He finally turned and faced her.

"You must be here for a reason. You had a dream. What was it?"

He looked down. "It doesn't matter."

She stood up from the table. "Yes it does."

"No, Ginny. It doesn't." The force with which he said his words stopped Ginny in her tracks. There they stood, on opposite sides of the table, staring at one another.

"Harry, let me help you."

He looked down. His strong façade was broken and he looked vulnerable once again. "You can't, Ginny. Merlin, I wish you could."

"What do you mean? You can't say things like that and then not explain to me what's going on inside of your head."

"I can't tell you that, I don't even know what's happening in there."

She sighed. "Then start with the basics. What was your dream about?"

He finally looked up. "You."

"Me?"

"Yes. And it wasn't a dream."

Ginny sat down again. "It was a vision." Harry nodded taking the seat opposite her as she continued. "Of the future." He nodded again. "Of our future." He hesitated, but nodded one more time. Ginny looked him in the eyes, allowing him to see the hurt, hope, and love that was still there.

"Tell me about it."

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

The laundry levitated its way down the hallway in front of Mrs. Weasley as she hummed a tune to herself. She stopped outside of Fred and George's room, currently Ron's room, and picked up a piece of clothing, tossing it onto the wobbling pile in front of her. The rest of the house was still asleep and she paused outside of Ron's room, currently Harry's room. They had decided to put Harry in there alone to give him some space but also to hopefully trigger some memories seeing as Harry spent most of his nights in Ron's spare bed in all of his previous stays at the Burrow. Mrs. Weasley sighed outside of the closed door and continued on her way.

The laundry basket maneuvered its way down the stairs and stopped at the bottom awaiting Mrs. Weasley's instructions. She followed, but halted when she got to the foot of the stairs. Harry and Ginny were sitting across from each other at the kitchen table, slumped over, fast asleep. Their hands were inches apart, a cold cup of tea sitting in between them. Mrs. Weasley levitated the laundry into the next room and went over to the two. She gently pulled off Harry's glasses and placed them next to him. Smiling slightly, she continued on her way.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Harry quickly turned at the squeak behind him and saw Ginny standing at the bottom of the stairs, looking just as surprised as he did. _

"_Hi."_

"_Hi." Ginny shifted awkwardly._

"_Your mum didn't tell us you were here." Harry stood at the sink, glass of water in hand._

"_She didn't tell me you were here either."_

"_Why aren't you at school?" Neither moved, afraid to get too close._

"_I came home for the weekend. McGonagall's new policy. We're allowed weekend trips to visit family…I wanted to check up on Mum." Harry nodded. "Why are you here?"_

"_Your mum thought we could use a rest." _

_Ginny nodded. "Ron and Hermione are upstairs?" _

"_Yeah they are. I guess that's why your Mum put Hermione in Fred and George's room. She didn't want to wake you." _

_Ginny nodded and finally made a move toward the kitchen table. Harry stayed by the sink. "Couldn't sleep?" _

_Harry shook his head. "Bad dreams."_

_Ginny looked at her hands. "Well I'll leave you to it then." She made a move to get up. _

"_Ginny wait." Harry started towards her._

"_Don't."_

_He stopped. "What?"_

_She turned to look at him. "Harry, we've done this before. It won't be any easier this time around. Just let it be."_

"_But -"_

"_No, Harry. This is the way you chose. And I supported you. You can't go back on that. You have to continue on doing what you're doing and I have to go back to school. That's just the way it is." She turned towards the stairs again._

"_I'm sorry Ginny." _

_She stopped but didn't turn around. "Don't be."_

"_But I am."_

"_Harry, I can't do this. I can't say another goodbye. The wedding was hard enough. Don't make me do this again." She took two steps up the stairs. _

"_I love you."_

_She stopped. _

"_I know…I love you too." And she was gone._

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The smell of bacon wafted through the house and filled Harry's nose. The rumble in his stomach is what woke him though. He gingerly lifted his head and rubbed the crick in his neck. Putting on his glass, the first thing he saw was Ginny standing next to her mother stirring something while Mrs. Weasley tended to the bacon. Harry smiled at the sight. He stretched and the movement caught Mrs. Weasley's attention.

"Oh good, Harry dear. You're awake. Come on over here and have some bacon."

He got up and walked over as Mrs. Weasley handed him a piece. He took it and thanked her. His stomach rumbled louder than ever. "Is everyone else still asleep?"

"Yes. Ron's snoring like you wouldn't believe, and I haven't heard a peep from Hermione."

Harry smiled, remembering hundreds of sleepless nights due to Ron's unnaturally loud snores. Then, realizing that he remembered something, he promptly started choking on his bacon.

"Harry?" Ginny finally turned from her stirring and clapped him hard on the back.

"Goodness, Harry, are you all right?"

Regaining his breath, he nodded to Mrs. Weasley. "I just remembered something…how Ron used to snore…He used to sleep in a four poster bed with red curtains and I used to make him close them to keep out that ungodly sound."

Mrs. Weasley and Ginny shared a look.

Ginny put down her spoon. "Harry, do-do you know where those beds were?"

Harry paused, contemplating the question. "They had something to do with Gryffindor. I remembered that name last week."

Mother and daughter shared another look.

Mrs. Weasley was brimming with barely contained excitement. "Just think about it Harry. Give it a moment."

Harry began to wander around the kitchen, piece of bacon in hand. He waved it around as thoughts flew through his head. Ginny and Mrs. Weasley watched his every move.

_Letters. Everywhere. Uncle Vernon, purple in the face. Owls. "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."_

He stopped. _Hogwarts. _He knew that name.

"I went to Hogwarts. I was in Gryffindor. Ron slept in the four poster bed next to mine with curtains and he snored!" Harry was wide-eyed as he rambled on, sentences flying out of his mouth as the thoughts came to him. His voice rose louder and louder. "I was eleven when I got the letter! That's why I only remembered up until I was ten!...You helped me through to the platform!" Mrs. Weasley put her hand to her mouth. He pointed at Ginny. "You and Ron were there! I met Hermione on the train and Dumbledore, he– …oh god Dumbledore." Harry's tirade ended as he sunk into the nearest chair, putting his head in his hands. Ginny went over to him, reaching her hand out to touch him, but quickly withdrew.

Harry's voice was just above a whisper.

"I remember…I remember it all."

…

Review please! It's the little button on the left.  Love you all!


	5. Chapter 5

Special thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far. I really appreciate it. Criticism is great. Thanks to those who gave it, you know who you are. Hopefully you're getting a better story because of it. Happy reading!

Chapter V

"Harry, drink this."

Hermione placed a cup of tea in front of him. Ron sat at the bottom of the stairs, both having been awoken by Harry's revelation. Harry remained with his head in his hands but he reached out and picked up the cup, taking a sip.

He scrunched up his face as he swallowed. "Oh, that burns."

Hermione shared a glance with Mrs. Weasley. "Well, we um, we put a shot of firewhiskey in it. We thought it might do you some good."

Harry finally looked at Hermione. "Thanks."

She smiled and sat across from him. Ginny had moved to the bottom of the stairs next to Ron, careful to stay away from Harry. She didn't know what to do now that he remembered all of their history. Would he want to be together? She felt lost and the hope that she felt at having Harry back was quickly dwindling. Ron was rubbing comforting circles on her back as she sat next to him, her legs pulled up to her chest. Harry hadn't said much since his recovery. Hermione sat across from him at the table.

"Harry, do you remember everything? I mean…everything?"

He looked at her. "You mean all seven years?" He gave a short, ironic laugh. "From our very first chocolate frog right up to _Avada Kedavra. _I remember it all. I remember casting the Killing Curse against Voldemort and then it all went black."

Hermione let out the breath she had been holding. "So…are you okay?"

Harry rubbed his hands over his face. "Am I okay?" Harry shrugged resting his head in his hands. "Well, is it really…over?"

Hermione smiled. "Yes. It's over, Harry."

He let out a shaky breath and held his cup out for another shot of firewhiskey. Mrs. Weasley obliged.

"I just – I mean..." He trailed off not really knowing what to say or what to do. His life had been consumed with hunting horcruxes, evading Voldemort long enough to destroy them all, and trying not to get killed in the process. It had been a lot for seventeen year old to handle. All of a sudden, the weight of it all came down on him and he stood up, pushing the chair out behind him. "I- I need to go for a walk or…something."

Hermione stood up with him but he gave her an appreciative smile. "I just want to be alone to get some things straight right now, Hermione. Clear my head…But thank you."

She nodded skeptically but sat back down all the same. Mrs. Weasley handed him a jacket, claiming that the day hadn't warmed yet. He took it mechanically and headed towards the door but Mrs. Weasley's hand on his shoulder stopped him. He turned just in time to have her arms envelop him in a hug which he returned with a fierceness that he didn't know he was ready for. He finally let go, and giving a small smile and a nod of gratitude to the closest thing to a mother he had, he headed toward the kitchen door.

Before leaving, Harry's eyes flicked to the staircase, but one he was searching for was gone.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

A stone ricocheted off of the bottom of the tree after having connected with the tip of Harry's trainer. He pulled the jacket that Mrs. Weasley gave him around him and he settled at the foot of the elm. He couldn't believe that he was alive. As much hope as he held out for his friends' sake, he tried to be realistic. He never thought he would live past the battle, past Voldemort's reign. For all of his military training and strategic preparing, he wasn't quite prepared for this. It was a lot to take in. Who could blame him for needing a moment alone? Evidently Ron could. The tall red head plopped down next to Harry under the tree and looked out over the yard. His eyes never rested on the "Boy Who Lived." As far as Ron was concerned that was just Harry. He had never been more than that, and yet he had in so many ways.

"Nice weather. Mum was right about the jacket."

Harry merely nodded.

Ron pulled at the blades of grass next to him, trying to evoke some sort of conversation from his friend. They were after all "friends." Conversation should come easy, right?

"You, uh, gave us quite a fright there. I wasn't sure you were ever gonna come back." Harry again remained silent but he looked down, deep in thought. Ron sighed, giving up his attempt, and pushed himself off of the ground. "Right, well. I'll see you inside." He turned and began towards the house.

"I'm sorry."

Ron stopped and looked back at Harry whose eyes remained fixed on some unseeing object in the distance.

"What?"

Harry's eyes finally met those of his friend's. "I'm sorry."

Ron cocked his head in Harry's direction. "What for?"

"For everything. For dragging you into this for…not remembering you. I'm so sorry about that."

Ron moved back towards the tree. "Harry, it's not your fault. You couldn't help the fact that you got hit _twice_ with the killing curse. And as for the "dragging us into it" bit? Sorry, mate, there wasn't much you could've done about that either."

Harry smiled but then it slowly slid from his face. "Wait, I got hit _twice _with the killing curse?"

Ron's eyes went wide as he searched for words. "Well – I mean – yeah…sorta."

Harry immediately ran his hands over his face, his arms, his legs, making sure every body part was there and accounted for. "How-how does that happen?"

Ron shrugged. "Dunno. But it happened…I saw it."

Something in Ron's voice made Harry stop his self-physical and look at his friend. For the first time that afternoon, they locked eyes. Words weren't needed. Harry finally understood in full Ron's appreciation for him and his fear at having almost lost him. Ron finally saw the pain that Harry had been carrying with him for 17 years. Ron stood up and held out his hand for Harry. He took it and stood. They stood awkwardly for a moment before Ron reached out and grabbed Harry in for a hug. He let go and cleared his throat.

"Good to have you back…Come on. Mum and Hermione will be spying from the windows."

Harry hoped that they weren't the only ones.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry never knew Hermione was the running type. But when he opened the door to the Burrow, she flew at him with such speed he barely saw her until she was in his arms squeezing the life out of him.

"Her-Hermione…can't breathe."

She loosened her grip. "Oh gosh, Harry, I'm so sorry."

He smiled his first true smile of the day. "It's all right. I'm glad to see you too."

She smiled sheepishly. "We missed you."

He nodded and squeezed her arm. "I know. I'm sorry."

"No it's okay. It wasn't your fault."

Ron sighed, knowing Harry and his guilty conscience. It would take time before ever truly believed that he had no control over any of it. Hermione noticed Harry's eyes begin to wander. They quietly searched the kitchen, the living room, every nook and cranny. Hermione cleared her throat.

"Ginny's upstairs."

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry's heart hadn't beaten this fast since he walked towards his final duel with Voldemort. Though at times, Ginny Weasley could be a much fiercer foe when met with the brute force of her temper. The stairs creaked with an unnatural loudness and Harry could have sworn that he arrived at her door much sooner than he should have. Surely, the Burrow had more stairs than that. Taking a deep breath, he brought his hand up and knocked twice on her door. _No answer. _Harry furrowed his brow knowing that there weren't many other places she could be. He knocked again. _No answer._ He gripped the handle and gently turned, surprised when the door opened without a sound.

He stuck his head in to find her sleeping soundly, curled up on her bed. He opened the door more fully and quietly entered the room. She stirred and he halted mid step. Opening her eyes, she brought her arms over her head in a stretch before letting them fall beside her again. Harry remained unmoving. She turned her head towards the clock on her side table and yelped when she saw Harry standing at the foot of her bed.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to frighten you!" He put his hands up in a calming manner, as if to show he meant no harm. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay." She sat up slowly and scooted back on the bed so she was leaning up against the pillows. Much to Harry's dismay she remained quiet. "I mean you are okay…aren't you?"

She didn't look at him but stared out of the window, admiring the morning sun. "I'm fine, Harry."

He shifted, wanting to move closer to her, but afraid to. "But-but you're not. I know you. Probably better than you think I do. I know you're not okay."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Then why'd you ask?"

Now it was Harry's turn to roll his eyes. "I was being polite." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I don't want to do this. We'll turn into Ron and Hermione."

She finally looked at him and something in her gaze pierced him. "We'll never be Ron and Hermione. We aren't together."

Harry felt as though he had been punched. The air left his lungs and he blinked to stop the tears pricking at his eyes. Well of course he couldn't expect them to still be together. They were barely together before the final battle. Lines weren't set. He never knew exactly where they stood. The only thing he knew was that he never stopped loving her.

"Right. Well, um, I'm just gonna…go." He turned to go but out of the corner of his ear he saw her wince. "What's wrong?"

She stopped trying to move. "Nothing's wrong."

"Yes there is, you're in pain."

She sighed. "If I haven't moved in a while, say, after I've been asleep, I get stiff and sore. It's just an aftereffect."

Harry moved closer. "An aftereffect of what?"

Ginny froze. He didn't see her get hit with the Cruciatus curse. He was busy dodging _Avada Kedavra_. He didn't see her writhing on the ground in pain nearly to her breaking point. She was glad he was spared that.

"Nothing, Harry. It's fine. I'll be fine."

His entire frame seemed to slump as he gave up all pretenses. "Please talk to me, Ginny. You're barely even looking at me."

She glanced up but as soon as she did, she looked away. He was right. She couldn't look at him. All she saw was pain and uncertainty.

"It was the Cruciatus, Harry….That's why I'm so sore." Silence hung in the air entirely too long for Ginny's taste. "Harry, say something." The eyes that had done so well at keeping the tears at bay, were now failing miserably. He sniffed and turned, bringing his hand across them to wipe stray tears away. He walked forward, stopping next to her bed. He placed a finger under her chin and gently lifted it up. "Harry, what are you doing?"

His eyes wandered all over her face, taking in every freckle, every curve, much like he had done that first day in the hospital. He gently turned her head from side to side, letting his gaze fall over her neck and her shoulders. He lifted up her arm and examined her wrist. Pushing her sleeve up, he traced her scars with his finger. Ginny's eyes never left his face. A tear fell from his eye onto her arm and she finally tore her eyes away to look at it.

"I'm so sorry I let you get hurt, Gin….I'll never forgive myself for that."

Ginny smiled at the use of her nickname and brought her hands up to his face. She made him look her in the eyes. "Harry, listen to me. None of this is your fault. None of it. Got it?" When he didn't nod, she continued. "You cannot blame yourself for every little thing that goes wrong, for every person that gets hurt."

He pulled away and cut her off. "But you aren't 'every person,' Ginny, and you getting hurt is not just a 'little thing!' I was supposed to protect you!"

"And who's going to protect you, Harry Potter?" He didn't answer. "Why won't you just let yourself be protected, be loved? You'll find that there are a lot of people out there willing to risk their necks just for you. You did the world an enormous favor. Why are you beating yourself up for it? It's a war, Harry. People get hurt in wars. People die in wars. Neither of us is dead, be grateful for that!"

"I am." The whisper was so quiet, she barely heard it. They remained silent for a while, Ginny sitting on her bed, Harry standing at the foot of it. She finally broke the silence.

"Harry, do you remember everything that happened when you had amnesia? I mean, everything that happened here?"

Harry slowly nodded. "I remember."

Ginny took in a deep breath, preparing herself for her next statement."So you remember your dreams."

Harry stopped fiddling with the footboard and looked at her. A thousand things passed between them: a tumultuous past, an uncertain present, and a future that both were clinging to. "Yes, I do."

Ginny nodded. "I was just wondering."

Harry's mind was running wild on him. Memories of his past and images of his future flew at him, not allowing him time to organize his thoughts. "Okay…Well, um, I'll see you later then."

Ginny nodded solemnly as Harry made his way to the door.

"And Gin?" She looked up. "I'm more grateful than you'll ever know."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry trudged back down the stairs only to find Ron and Hermione's eager faces come into view.

"So?"

Harry shrugged in Hermione's direction. "So, what? Nothing happened."

Hermione looked confused. "What do you mean nothing happened? Where do you guys stand?"

Harry ran a hand through his hair. Old habits die hard. "I honestly don't know where we stand. From my point of view, we're…sitting, we're lying. There is no standing."

Now Ron looked confused."Huh?"

Harry shook his head. "Don't worry about it…In simple English, your sister and I are not together, nor do we have any chance of becoming so…as much as I gathered." Harry scratched his head. The situation was more confusing that he could recall ever being so. When did life become so complicated? The war was over, things shouldn't be hard anymore…apparently Harry Potter wasn't meant to have it easy.

"Harry, what's wrong?" Hermione eyed him as he made his way over to the kitchen table and slumped down.

"I just…what do I do now? I have no idea what to do."

Ron and Hermione looked at each other. Plotting out their friend's future was a lot more promising that helping him relive his past.

"Well what do you want to do?"

Harry gave a shrug. "I don't know. What have you guys been doing?"

Ron and Hermione shared a glance, blushed, and looked at their feet. "Well you know…a little of this, a little of that. Nothing special." Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron's obvious lie.

Harry smirked. "Okay, so when you aren't snogging each other senseless, what do you do?"

xxxxxxxxxxx

"_They, uh, they say your life flashes before your eyes, you know…before you die. D'you think that's true?" Ron shuffled his feet against the floor as Harry stared out the window, waiting for the first sign of the approaching dawn. _

"_I'll let you know."_

_The hand rounded about his face, echoing the "slap" across the room. Hermione stood back and glared at her friend, her lip trembling. _

"_Don't you ever say anything like that again." _

_Harry at least had the decency to look apologetic._

_The creak by the door drew their attention and Ginny stood in its frame, her eyes glued to the dark haired boy. Ron cleared his throat, but his voice still shook._

"_You heard?"_

"_Every word."_

Harry sat up quickly, his sweat making his shirt stick to his body. He took deep breaths as his heartbeat returned to its normal pace. Why was he still dreaming about the past? He remembered it all now. Then again, his past would always haunt him. It was yet another destiny he couldn't escape. He couldn't have been asleep long. Looking at the bedside clock, he groaned as he realized he had slept through dinner and it was now well into the night. The day had been a blur, resulting in Harry passing out at a relatively early hour and no one in the house was to disturb him on Mrs. Weasley's orders.

Harry trudged down the stairs, wincing every time a step gave a particularly loud groan until he finally made it to the bottom.

"Lemon or cream?"

Harry gasped and took several steps backwards at the new voice in the room.

"Good lord, Ginny. You nearly gave me a heart attack."

She smirked. "Sorry…Lemon or cream?"

He eyed her for a moment, glancing at the kettle on the stove, before moving towards the table. "Come on, Gin, you know I don't take cream in my tea."

She smiled. "Just checking." She poured two cups and went to join him.

"What are you doing up so late anyway? I thought our midnight rendezvous would be over now…"

"Now…?"

"Well…now that I remember."

She took a sip and placed the cup back on the table. "Well you're obviously still having dreams and a lot of the time, they have something to do with me. I do want to help you, you know….I wasn't around just because you couldn't remember."

He looked up. "I know."

"You never did tell me what you dreamt last night."

Harry's stomach did a flip at the memory of it. He cleared his throat. "I don't really want to talk about it."

Ginny inhaled. "Was it bad?" Harry shook his head. "Then why won't you tell me?"

"It's not that it was bad, Gin…It…It's just something that you probably don't want to hear."

She looked confused. "Okay a good dream that I don't want to hear about. Hmmmmm."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Fine. But if I tell you, you can't be mad at me for telling you. Agreed?"

Ginny nodded. "Agreed."

Harry took in a deep breath. "You were telling me that you were pregnant."

Ginny was silent for a moment and her face was unreadable. "I was what?"

Harry ran a hand through his hair. "Um, pregnant."

"Pregnant." He nodded in affirmation. "With your baby?"

"I should hope so. You were telling me I was going to be a father. It would be a damn shame if I turned out not to be one." He smiled half-heartedly as Ginny looked down, trying to take in the new information. Harry began to fidget when she remained silent. "Come on, Gin, you agreed."

Her head snapped up. "I'm agreeing….I'm-I'm….agreed."

Harry laughed, prompting a laugh from Ginny at her utter lack of any ability to form sentences. "Ginny, it was just a dream."

She quieted and looked at him. "Your dreams are never "just dreams." You and I both know this."

Harry sighed and rubbed his face. "Well it's not like we have to start building the baby crib tomorrow."

Ginny laughed. "No certainly not….nice to know it's an option though." Harry eyes met hers and she held his gaze. "Well, we should be getting to bed."

He numbly nodded. She pushed out her chair and brought their cups to the sink.

He stood as she turned from the sink and addressed him. "Harry, what did you dream tonight?"

"What?"

"Why did you come down tonight? What was your dream?"

"Oh…It was a just a memory. Something coming back to haunt me."

She finished at the sink and walked towards him. "Mind me asking what it was about?"

He smiled bitterly, looking out of the window. "Oh you know it well." He gaze returned to hers. "Ever wonder if your life flashes before your eyes before you die?"

Her eyes darkened and she paled a bit, nodding at the memory. She gave him a tight smile, before moving by him towards the stairs. Before heading up, she stopped and turned to him.

"In case you ever did wonder…it does. Goodnight, Harry."

With that, the Boy Who Lived was left in the middle of the empty kitchen cursing the hour the woman he loved was ever put that close to death.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

The clattering of silverware on plates and the scraping of chairs roused Harry the next morning and signaled his call to breakfast.

Opening his door, he bumped into Hermione who was also groggily making her way down to the meal.

"Sorry, 'Mione….Wait, I thought you were always a morning person."

She grumpily rolled her eyes, looking desperately in need of some coffee. "Oh that's definitely changed. Trust me."

"You mean Ron's actually awake before you are?"

"Oh please. The smell of food can wake him from the deepest slumber."

Harry laughed and they proceeded downstairs together, towards the ever-growing noise.

"Do it again! Do it again!"

Harry and Hermione stopped at the bottom of the stairs to find Ron urging Fred to blow more milk bubbles through his nose.

"Oh for goodness sakes! You three!" Mrs. Weasley smacked George upside the head.

"Three? I didn't do anything, mum!" George held up his hands in innocence.

Mrs. Weasley scoffed. "Right. That'll be the day."

George grinned wickedly, before leaning close to Fred. "I guess she hasn't used her new and improved spatula yet."

Ginny bit her lip to keep from giggling and settled for stuffing another bite of flatcakes in her mouth. Harry and Hermione hadn't budged and in all of the commotion, Harry hadn't seen Lupin sitting at the end of the table.

"Morning, Harry."

"Remus!" The older man stood up and stuck his hand out for a shake. Harry never gave it a glance as he grabbed him and hugged him tight. "Where have you been?"

Remus shared a glance with Mrs. Weasley. "Well we thought it best to keep your life as uncomplicated as possible until you recovered. That included all Order business and all of those in it."

"Where has Mr. Weasley been?"

"Arthur's a very busy man. Home late, up before dawn. He's doing a lot for the Order."

Harry scratched his head. "Forgive me, Remus, I know I've been out of the loop. But the war's over. What's left to be done?"

Lupin sighed and motioned to the now silent table; its occupants hung on Lupin's every word. Harry and Hermione sat next to Ron, across from Ginny and the twins.

"There are many, many Death Eaters still on the loose. Their attacks have been covered up and kept out of the Daily Prophet. No need to instill even more fear now that people are trying to recover."

Harry nodded. "Why wasn't I told?"

Remus gave him a look. "You weren't exactly in the best condition. Harry, you didn't even know how to use your wand."

"Er, right."

"Well why weren't we told?" Ron's question was muffled by the flatcakes that took up the majority of his mouth.

Lupin smiled. "The Order figured you could use a well deserved holiday."

"So you're here now to tell me what I've missed."

"Precisely."

Harry speared some flatcakes perhaps a little harder than intended. "Okay, then. Fire away."

Remus took a deep breath before continuing to the now rapt table.

"Death Eater attacks have been happening more and more frequently. They are fast and fierce. By the time we get wind of them, they're over. No one has been caught and the attacks are getting more and more brutal with each passing week. No one can detect a pattern in their choice victims. They seem to be killing for killing's sake. We've been studying the murders, they've been both muggle and wizard alike, but we can't tell when or where the next one will occur until its too late. The Ministry has kept it out of the papers. They don't want the wizarding community to know that the danger isn't over and that their Ministry hasn't found a way to stop it…We could use your help."

Harry sat quietly for a moment, reeling from the new information. He had been secluded in his nice, comfortable, safe world…but people were still dying. "Who's leading them?"

Remus cleared his throat. "Malfoy."

"Which?"

"Both. Draco has joined his father. He's beyond saving. We were hoping we could use him as an ally but, what's done is done." Harry nodded. "We wanted to bring you back to headquarters today. Show you what we've been working on."

"Okay."

Ron looked put out.

"Don't worry, Mr. Weasley. You're invited too."

Ron's mood instantly perked up at the invitation. He smiled and stuffed another bite of flatcakes into his mouth. Hermione looked disgusted.

"Oh honestly, Ron."

At that moment, the fire blazed green and Mr. Weasley's head appeared.

"Oh hello, dear- "

"No time, Molly. Remus, they're attacking Diagon Alley."

Lupin was up instantly but Harry still beat him to the punch. His reflexes had not gone rusty.

"_Accio _wand!"

Harry's wand came whizzing down from where it was left on his bedside table and into his outstretched hand. His wandless abilities still amazed them all. Remus gave him a significant look before heading towards the fireplace. Hermione pulled out her wand as Ron dashed upstairs to grab his before joining Harry and Hermione in the kitchen. Lupin flooed first, followed closely by Fred and then George. Hermione kissed Ron hard on the lips before stepping into the fireplace. Ron followed suit. Mrs. Weasley didn't argue when her three youngest sons went to join the battle. Harry moved to follow his two best friends as Ginny stood rooted to floor.

"Harry!" He stopped and looked at her. "Don't…"

"I have to, Ginny." He turned back around and headed for the fireplace.

"It's not your job anymore!"

He gave her a look that she couldn't quite read. It held heartbreak, pain, duty, and love all covered by a mask of confidence. "Yes it is."

He threw the powder and he was gone. Ginny ran upstairs and was back in the kitchen a moment later bearing her wand.

"Where do you think you are going?" Mrs. Weasley asked her daughter as she made her way to the fireplace.

"To Diagon Alley."

"You most certainly are not!"

Ginny stared at her mother hard.

"I'm sorry, Mum….Diagon Alley!"

And she was gone.

…

Reviews make me happy. Happiness is good.  Review pleeaaassseee? They keep me going.


	6. Chapter 6

Hello all. I'll be in Paris for two weeks so no updates for a bit after this. Reviews would awesome to read upon my return though (wink wink). Thanks again to all who have reviewed; you've really helped. I really appreciate it! Now, enough of me…

Chapter VI

His heartbeat thudded in his chest and adrenaline coursed throughout his veins as shouts and screams erupted all around him. He did not miss this life.

"Harry!"

Fear gripped him as she stepped out of the fireplace. "Ginny, what are you doing here." She couldn't be here. He couldn't go through this again.

She fixed him with a pointed look; the kind youngest daughters were born with. "Don't ask stupid questions."

"You need to go back."

"Stop it, Harry." She pushed by him and stood beside her brother, awaiting orders.

"Hey Harry. Try not to get walloped in the head again?"

Despite the severity of the situation he gave his friend a smile. "I'll try, Ron."

The adrenaline coursed harder, but nothing could stop the ever present fear he felt every time he thought of her. He looked at his friends, all of whom he was so thankful to see get out of the war alive. Hermione reached over and laced her fingers through Ron's. She gave it a squeeze accompanied by a reassuring smile. Ron's shoulders visibly relaxed. Harry knew this was wrong. They shouldn't be here, they didn't need to be. They had lives to lead.

And then the awful question came burning in his mind. What about his life?

Lupin's voice broke through his thoughts. "On my mark. Three, two, one."

And before he knew it, he was thrown back into previous days, praying that someone would be there to catch him when he fell.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

The scream echoed through the chaotic streets and Harry turned just in time to see an innocent fall.

"Dammit…._Stupefy!_" Harry turned and stunned the Death Eater making his way towards him. He didn't know how many that had been. He had lost track of everyone else, something that made his stomach turn. Crying from somewhere to his right drew Harry's attention. He squinted his way through the smoke and stumbled upon a little girl crouched in a doorway. He stared at the girl for a minute, his breath coming in deep, shaking gasps. "Lily?"

The little girl looked up and Harry immediately saw that this was not the girl from his dreams, but the thought still left him shaken. He bent down to her; she couldn't have been more than four.

"Are you okay?"

She nodded her red head.

"You aren't hurt?"

Again she shook her head.

"Okay, where are your parents?"

The girl shook her head as the sobs came harder. "I don't know."

Harry didn't quite know what to do. He had never had much contact with young children. He glanced around him, thankful that he was hidden in the doorway even though the fight raged on meters away.

"Let's go find them, okay? And get you safe."

The girl nodded and let Harry pick her up. He threw a discarded cloak over her head to shield her from the carnage as he ran with her through the street, shouting curses over his head. He found Lupin in the building they flooed into sporting a rather nice gash across his cheek.

"Harry!"

"Remus, you have to help me." He pulled the cloak off of the little girl in his arms. "She doesn't know where her parents are."

"Well Harry we can't take her back to headquarters -"

"No, I know that. But we can't exactly leave her here."

Lupin went over to the fireplace and grabbed some floo powder. He looked back at the little girl who seemed reluctant to let go of her rescuer. "Have you ever traveled by floo powder?"

She slowly nodded. "Once."

"That's good enough. We're going to send you to St. Mungo's. They'll take good care of you there, get you patched up, and look for your parents, okay?"

"Remus, we can't send her alone."

"Point taken."

At that moment, Hermione came flying in the door, coughing up a storm and waving the smoke out of her eyes. "Nasty little buggers aren't they."

Harry and Lupin shared a look. As the girl still clung to Harry, he moved to help Hermione brush herself off.

"Well who is this?" Hermione smiled at the girl.

"Hermione, we need you to take her to St. Mungo's. Please?"

Hermione could see the pleading in Harry's eyes. "Okay." Harry handed the girl over to Hermione. "Be careful while I'm gone, you two. I don't want to come back and find that I have to take any more of you to hospital."

The little girl gave a small wave to Harry as Hermione stepped into the fireplace with her.

"Wait, what's your name?"

The little girl looked at Harry and shouted, "Lily!" as green flames erupted around her. Harry stood rooted to his spot. _Lily. _Immediately his thoughts flew to someone else. _Ginny. _

Lupin had never seen him leave a room so quickly.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

"Ginny!" Harry frantically ran through the streets putting more care into his search than into his own well being. "Ginny, answer me!"

Fred was on his left throwing some contraption at a Death Eater. George was on his right using a spell Harry had never seen before. Or maybe that was Fred. Harry couldn't see straight; his mind was running faster than his legs could carry him, coming up with a million different scenarios as to why Ginny wasn't answering him and none of them ended well.

"Harry!"

Harry turned at the sound of his name and found Ron on the ground, hand pressed to his shoulder, which was rapidly seeping blood.

"Oh god, Ron." Harry knelt beside him and pressed his hand on top of Ron's to apply more pressure. "What happened?"

"Malfoy. He -" Ron winced in pain. "He used sectumsempra on me and got me in the shoulder. He stunned Ginny and took her."

Harry's heart stopped. "He what?"

Ron stopped messing with his shoulder and looked at Harry. "He took Ginny, Harry."

Harry stood up searching the scene around him. "Where? How long ago?"

"About five minutes ago…I think. I blacked out after I fell; I don't know where he took her. I didn't see."

Harry ran into the middle of the street and screamed at the top of his lungs. "Ginny!...Ginny!"

A hand on his shoulder led him out of the street and into the building where Lupin had been. Harry finally looked up to see who his helper was. Charlie Weasley stood across from him, looking him up and down for injuries.

"Charlie I -"

"She's gone, Harry. There was nothing you could have done."

"Yes there was. I was supposed to protect her!"

Charlie calmly observed the broken man before him. "And what do you think I'm supposed to do, Harry? I'm her older brother. The job isn't solely yours to have or to bear."

Harry picked up a stray object and threw it across the room with such force that he stumbled backwards into an awaiting chair. Charlie bent low in front of him.

"We'll get her back, Harry."

Harry numbly nodded, denying the fact that this was happening to him again. No person should have to go through this much pain more than once in one lifetime.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Headquarters was a solemn sight to behold that night, as Order members were mended and everyone waited with baited breath for word on Ginny Weasley. Harry locked himself up in a secluded room upstairs, but those below could hear him pace through the creaks in the floorboards. No one had died, which everyone was thankful for, so now everyone's attention was focused on bringing the youngest Weasley home safe.

"Well she didn't go without a fight. She took down five Death Eaters before they grabbed her."

"That's my girl." Molly Weasley blew her nose into a handkerchief and casually ignored the fact that she had never supported her baby going anywhere near a skirmish.

Ron sat at the kitchen table, as Hermione rubbed comforting circles on his back. One of the Healers bustled about, cleaning up cuts and gashes, changing the dressing on Ron's shoulder. Hermione glanced at the ceiling and watched as dust fell from where the weight of Harry's footsteps made the weathered boards bend.

"Should we go up there?"

"No. I'm sure he'd rather just be alone."

Hermione sighed. "That's not good for him."

Ron rubbed his hand over his face, accustomed to dealing with Hermione when she got like this. "It's who Harry is. It's what he wants."

Hermione gave him a pointed look. "And look where it's gotten him." She pushed her chair away from the table and headed into the other room towards the stairs.

"Hermione, wait."

But she was already onto the second landing, marching her way up to the third. Sighing, Ron followed her, something he hadn't stopped doing since age 11. When he reached the second floor, he squinted his eyes in the darkness. He could barely make out Hermione down the hall, standing outside of a door. She lifted her hand and knocked three times.

"Harry?...It's us, Harry. Please open up." Just when Hermione was going to give up and go back downstairs the door unlatched and slowly opened. "Hello, Harry."

"Hi."

"Thanks for opening."

He nodded and opened the door further, allowing both Hermione and Ron to pass by him. Hermione glanced over the broken pieces of furniture that littered the corner of the room.

"I take it that's your handiwork?"

Harry didn't even need to see what she was referencing. He nodded anyway. He felt hollow; like he was missing an essential part of himself. He was lost and the only way to feel something was to break things. Because anger was a feeling. And he felt it.

"Lupin's talking to McGonagall and Mr. Weasley's figuring out where she is. They think they took her back to Malfoy Manor. But that might be too easy."

Again Harry nodded, but said nothing. Hermione was getting desperate. She needed a way to get through to him. And then she found it.

"Lily's okay….You know, the little girl? She's all right."

Harry's head immediately snapped up and Hermione knew she had him. "She is?"

Hermione nodded. "She had some cuts and bruises but other than that she was fine."

"Did they find her parents?"

Hermione's face darkened and she cleared her throat. Her plan may have just backfired. "Um, they did….They're dead. Killed in a crossfire."

Harry hung his head. "What are they going to do with Lily?"

"She has a grandmother in London. She'll stay there. I'm sorry Harry."

Harry was back to nodding. Hermione had lost him again. Ron remained quiet this entire time watching the exchange and yet not really paying attention. His mind was running through his entire relationship with his little sister, from his first memories to that very morning. Silence hung in the air.

Harry stared at his hands, hands that had done so much in such a short life. "I can't do this again."

Hermione reached out and took his hand. "We'll get her back Harry. She's strong. She survived once, she can do it again."

Harry was flooded with images from the day Ginny was attacked by Death Eaters. They didn't take her that day, but they vowed they would. Harry closed his eyes, cutting off the memories of Ginny's pain, his own pain.

"You don't understand. I – I've done awful things for her." Harry took in a deep, shaky breath, the memories coming back to haunt him. "You remember Rookwood?...How about Dolohov."

Recognition registered on Ron's face. "Yeah they disappeared. No one ever - "

"Ever found the bodies." Harry stared out of the window. "I made sure of that."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Never had he felt so alone.

No one had spoken in the span of ten minutes and the silence was eating at him.

"You're friends with a murderer."

Hermione stopped biting her nail. "Stop it, Harry."

"It's true."

"Everyone did things in the war that they aren't proud of but they had to be done."

Harry shook his head. "No, this I enjoyed."

Ron finally spoke up. "Harry, they hurt Ginny. They surrounded her and tortured her. I would have done the same thing."

"But you didn't. I did. You don't have someone else's blood on your hands."

"Yes I do. Who do you think killed Lestrange after she hit you with the killing curse? And you bet your ass I enjoyed it."

Silence fell again. Harry contemplated his friend before him. Ron had killed for him, almost died for him, and yet he still forgave him.

"Thank you."

Ron looked confused. "For what?"

"Everything."

There was a knock at the door and Hermione went to open it, wiping her eyes as she did. Ron knew she always was the emotional one. Lupin stood framed in the doorway and looked at Harry.

"We've confirmed that she's at Malfoy Manor." He sighed, the fatigue deepening the lines that graced his aging face. "Apparently the Malfoy's aren't too clever when it comes to taking people hostage."

Harry stood up immediately and headed towards the door. Hermione grabbed his arm as he passed by.

"What are you going to do?"

"Anything I can. I can't lose her again."

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

The whistle of the tea pot was barely heard over the ever growing din in the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley excused herself through the crowd, clearing a path to get to the whining kettle. Harry remained seated at the kitchen table, head resting firmly against his clasped hands. Hermione sat next him and prepared his tea when Mrs. Weasley placed the steaming hot liquid in front of him. Ron stood next to his father who listened intently to the plan that Lupin was mapping out. McGonagall was taking in the scene with the watchful eye of a cat, surveying every face and every emotion.

"Ahem."

Harry looked up to see his old Transfiguration professor standing behind him. "Yes, professor?"

"A word, Potter?"

Harry nodded and followed her to the only empty corner in the room.

"Potter, I'd like you to stick close to me during this. Now-" She held up her hand to silence the rebuttal she knew was coming. Harry closed his mouth. "I know you will find this difficult and perhaps a bit unfair…but Professor Dumbledore wanted to see you make it out of this war alive and I'd like you to remain so."

Harry looked ready to argue again.

"Please do this for me, Harry."

His argument was silenced by the use of his first name. The rarity of it gave its times of use an added significance. He nodded his acquiescence. McGonagall gave him a tight smile and a squeeze of the shoulder before he took his seat next to Hermione once more.

"What did she want?"

"Just to give me some advice."

Hermione looked to where Ron stood next to his father like the adult he already was. The war had aged them all, probably too quickly. She had many regrets and there were many things that she would change if given the chance: lives taken too soon, enemies almost caught. But looking between the two men in her life, she knew that things would be all right. Ginny would be in good hands soon; Harry wouldn't give up without a fight.

"All right. We're moving out soon. Harry?"

Harry looked at his mentor and the only father he had left. "Yes?"

"You're coming with me."

He felt like a piece of glass, like if they handled him too roughly, he might break. Sure he was smudged with fingerprints - his parents were murdered, his friends were killed, and the woman he loved was hurt - but he hadn't broken yet. He thought he could manage one more night, no matter how badly he wanted to do bodily harm to each and every one of the men who took her.

"Everybody hold on."

The time from when Harry grabbed hold of the portkey back at headquarters to when he landed on the distant grounds of Malfoy Manor were a blur. He still hadn't quite gotten a hold of it. Apparently neither had Ron or Hermione.

"Hermione do you mind?"

"Sorry Harry."

His question had been muffled as his face was pressed into the ground, Hermione sprawled across his back. Ron reached out a hand, dusting himself off, and helped them both up as they stared at the manor in the distance.

"What about wards?"

Harry looked at the ominous sight. Nothing that large and that sinister looking could be left just out in the open.

"Moody's found a way around them."

Not needing any further explanation, Harry headed off in hot pursuit of the elder members of the Order, never beyond the watchful eye of Minerva McGonagall.

"You won't do anything stupid, will you Harry?"

He gave a hint of a smile. "Define 'stupid."

Hermione fidgeted with her wand. "Well, I'd just like you to make it to our wedding." She gestured between herself and Ron.

Harry stopped in his tracks, eyes wide. "Your what?"

Ron stopped too and looked at Hermione indignantly. "We promised we wouldn't tell!"

Hermione fixed him with a glare. "Well I want him to know what he has to look forward to and that I fully expect him to be around for it! After all, I want him to walk me down the aisle."

"But he's my best man! He can't do both!"

Harry watched the exchange with a smile on his face, his present troubles forgotten for a moment. "Sure I can." He stepped in front of Hermione and kissed her on the cheek. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

She smiled and gave him a tight hug before he moved to shake Ron's hand. "Congratulations."

Ron smiled. "Thanks, mate."

"Come on, you three. You're lagging." Moody's low growl brought them all harshly back to reality. Ron leaned into Harry.

"This doesn't go beyond here, right? The wedding I mean. It's just that if the information got into the wrong hands and if anything ever happened to her…"

Harry put his hand on Ron's shoulder. "I know. Not a word. On my honor."

Ron relaxed. "Thanks."

It was only at that moment that Harry noticed the small ring that currently resided on Hermione's left hand.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

She never used to be afraid of the dark. It provided her comfort and solace, a hiding place when solitude was needed. She won many games of hide and seek that way. Now it frightened her. The dark was a place that hid unknown things, dangers she couldn't see coming until it was too late. She didn't know how long she had been there, waiting in that awful blackness; but every sound, every footstep charged her heart rate and quickened her breath.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry's jaw was so set, it was beginning to throb. He was awaiting the signal to move up to the house. Harry, Hermione, Lupin, and Moody were to take the front. Ron, Mr. Weasley, Tonks, and McGonagall were to take the back. Charlie, Bill, and the twins had the sides. Kingsley had been lost in the war and his absence was glaring in times like these. McGonagall begrudgingly allowed Harry away from her sight after some coaxing from Lupin. She was told she was needed elsewhere, which seemed to slightly appease her. Hermione was inching closer and closer to Harry.

"Are you all right?"

She looked at him sheepishly, a bit embarrassed that she had been caught. "Yes. Just a bit uneasy. I never did like this part."

"I don't think anyone likes the waiting part."

"Let's go." Moody signaled them forward.

Harry gave Hermione's hand a squeeze as they broke out into a run. They pulled up short when they reached the front. Draco, and the elder Crabbe and Goyle stood in the doorway, wands already drawn.

"Ah Potter, the Mudblood, the Werewolf, and the Peg Leg. We've been expecting you."

Harry advanced on him but Hermione pulled him back. He pointed his wand at Malfoy's chest, inhaling deeply to keep his emotions in check.

"I'm going to kill you." Hermione had never heard him sound more threatening.

Malfoy gave a wry smile. "How shocking."

Lupin eyed the two carefully. Moody's magical eye rolled around restlessly before fixing pointedly on the younger Malfoy and penetrating his guard. His wry smile faltered and Moody knew he had him.

"I hope your daddy's here to help you, boy."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The sound reverberated off of the cold stone walls and she shrank further into the corner. Her bindings dug into her wrists and ankles and her head throbbed from countless administrations of the cruciatus curse. The sound was growing louder, coming closer. She held her breath as the door creaked open and a figure was silhouetted in the frame, flooding the room with light. He approached the huddled girl and lifted the silencing charm. She drew in a few deep breaths before spitting out his name.

"Snape."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Malfoy was about to retort and signal to his guards to begin the attack when a scream pierced the night sky.

"Ginny." Harry's heartbeat quickened and he advanced on Malfoy again only to have Lupin restrain him.

"Good, Snape's doing his job. I knew he wasn't a complete loss."

Harry's blood boiled at the mention of his ex-professor and murderer of Albus Dumbledore. He broke out of Lupin's grasp and he brought Malfoy to the ground, his hands closing around his throat. Crabbe and Goyle were easily stunned by Hermione and Moody. Lupin kept a safe distance from Harry who held his wand a mere inch from Malfoy's face.

"Tell me why I shouldn't do it."

"Go ahead, Potter. Let's see if you have it in you." Another scream echoed through the halls. "I guess we know Snape does."

Harry's fist came down and cracked Malfoy's jaw, knocking him out. Lupin came up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"At least you didn't kill him. We need him alive."

Harry said nothing, but stepped over the prone forms of Crabbe and Goyle and proceeded into the house.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Snape stood at the door, straining hard to hear anything.

"One more time, Miss Weasley."

Ginny took a few deep breaths and let another scream rip from within. Her throat was raw and her eyes watered at the strain on her body. She rubbed her bloodied wrists.

"That should have done it…Yes, I hear them." Snape went to Ginny and handed back her wand. "Remember, Miss Weasley, not a word."

Ginny sharply looked up. "But - "

He shook his head. "Not a word. I believe Mr. Potter should be here soon. You can handle it from there." He moved to leave.

"Professor?"

"Oh back to formalities are we?"

She smiled despite her pain. "Thank you."

He gave a curt nod and swept out of the room.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Torches went by at a blur and the pale stone walls grew darker and grimier. He was close.

"Ginny?" He chanced a quiet call but there was no answer. "Ginny!"

He heard a noise somewhere up ahead and he felt something inside of himself. Maybe it was hope.

"Ginny? Come on, Gin, make a noise."

He then heard something that made him stop dead in the middle of the hall. It sounded remarkably like a muffled "_Harry_."

"I'm coming, Gin." He picked up his pace, running his hand down the wall for guidance. Suddenly his hand felt air, the wall had disappeared, and he arrived at a door. His breath came in deep, ragging gasps, the intensity of situation weighing down on his chest. The door was slightly ajar and he gave it a little push.

"Ginny?" His eyes squinted in the darkness.

"Harry?"

His heart felt as though it would jump out of his chest at her voice. "Oh god, Gin." He rushed over to where she was trying to push herself up and he dropped to her side. He cupped her face in his hands and pushing the past aside, and despite present conflicts, he placed light kisses all over her face.

"Harry." She wrapped her arms around him. She didn't care how much pain it caused, she just wanted to feel him, but he pulled away rapidly.

Harry's face tensed and his eyes darkened. "Where's Snape?"

"He left."

Harry picked his wand up from the ground. "I'll kill him."

"No, Harry, you can't." Remembering her promise, Ginny bit her tongue. "Stay with me."

He pressed his forehead to hers. "I'll never leave you…I love you. I always have."

Whatever self control Ginny had at the time was completely lost as she broke down in Harry's arms. He stroked her hair and as she pressed her face into his chest.

"Shh, it's okay. I've got you. I won't let anything happen to you now."

Ginny nodded against him. He finally got a good look at her and the sight horrified him. She was badly in need of medical attention.

"Come on, I've got to get you out of here." He picked up her broken body and held her close as he made his way out of the dungeon.

"Harry?"

He kissed her head, careful to avoid the cuts. "Hm?"

"I love you too." Ginny felt him hold her closer.

"We haven't said that to each other in a while."

"That doesn't mean it ever changed." Ginny closed her eyes, trying to avoid unconsciousness. This she wanted to remember.

"I know."

Ginny thought his voice sounded choked. "I guess we need to talk."

"I guess we do." Harry looked down to the girl in his arms. "Stay with me, Ginny."

"It's so hard."

"Ginny you have to stay awake. Talk to me."

She groaned. "What about? I want to sleep."

"I know you do, but you have to stay awake." Harry was slowly making his way to the main level.

"I want to talk about Lily."

Harry felt himself smile despite the fact that it was getting harder and harder for Ginny to keep her eyes open.

"Our Lily?"

She smiled. "Yes our Lily. The little girl with my hair and your eyes."

"My mother's eyes….Wake up, Gin." He received another groan. He shifted her in his arms which elicited a yelp of pain. "I'm sorry, Ginny. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"S'okay." She closed her eyes again as Harry cautiously entered the main foyer. It was eerily quiet. Too quiet. He took a few steps out into the open before he heard a loud crash to his right. Hermione and Ron came running into the foyer followed closely by Lupin.

Lupin clapped Ron on the back. "Good job with the suit of armor. I never would of thought of that."

Ron sheepishly grinned and shrugged his shoulders. "Well I sort of got tangled in it so I pushed it onto Lucius Malfoy."

Hermione was the only one to notice the other two occupants in the room. "Harry! Is she all right?"

Harry was growing more panicked by the minute. "I don't know. She can't keep her eyes open…Ginny, wake up!"

Ginny slightly jumped. "I'm awake." Ron grabbed her hand and squeezed it, but she barely had the strength to squeeze back.

Ron and Harry shared a look of concern. "Did you get everyone?"

Lupin came over. "Yes, Moody's rounding them up now."

Harry looked down again. "Come on, Ginny."

"I want to see Lily."

"Not yet, Gin."

"Harry, I can't…" Ginny fell limp in his arms.

Harry paled. "Ginny? Ginny!"

Lupin rushed over and placed a hand on her neck.

"Harry, get her back to the portkey now!"

…


	7. Chapter 7

Okay, some people were a bit confused about the whole "Lily" thing. The Lily that Harry dreams about and the Lily that Ginny wants to talk about at the end of last chapter is indeed their daughter, the daughter they have not yet had. She is not to be mistaken for the little girl in Diagon Alley. That girl is just supposed to be a coincidence to remind Harry of said future daughter. Got it? I hope so.  Again, apologies for the delay. It's been a long, busy summer. Enjoy!

Chapter VII

"_Psst." He stuck his head around the dark blue curtain that hid her away. _

"_Harry, you aren't supposed to be here!" _

_He quickly closed the curtain behind him and turned to get a good look at her. He inhaled and breathed out deeply. "Wow." _

_She smiled at her fiancé, smoothing down the front of her dress. "Okay you saw. Now go away. It's bad luck." _

_He bit his lip and moved towards her. _

"_You do realize that if my mother catches you in here, she'll have your head...after she skins you alive." _

_He nodded. "That's what makes it so much fun." _

_She rolled her eyes, but kissed him anyway. "Now go away."_

_He pouted. "Fine…I'll see you soon. I'll be the one standing at the front, big grin, messy hair, hard to miss." _

_She laughed at her soon to be husband. "I'll keep an eye out for you." _

_His smiled faded and he turned serious. "I love you Ginny Weasley." He went to turn, but stopped. "Hey, that's the last time I'm ever gonna get to call you that."_

_She smiled. "Yes it is. I love you too, Harry." _

_He grinned again, feeling butterflies like he had never felt before. "I'll see you at the front, Ms. Weasley."_

"_Oh I wouldn't miss it, Mr. Potter." _

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Help! Somebody help me!"

Harry supported the limp form of Ginny in his arms, his shouts burning the back of his throat. "You!" He grabbed a nearby Healer. "I need help!"

The Healer looked a little intimidated to be getting orders from the famous Harry Potter but technicalities like that didn't seem to matter at the time. Harry gently placed Ginny on a bed and grasped her hand. A calmer Healer entered the room and immediately went to Ginny's other side.

"Well Mr. Potter, I didn't expect to see you back so soon."

Harry was confused by the familiarity with which the man spoke but he finally registered that this was the Healer that had tended to him after the final battle. The Healer worked with an efficiency that somewhat calmed the frightened young man.

"Is she –" Harry's throat worked and tears pricked at his eyes as the Healer cut him off.

"Mr. Potter, I need you to leave."

Harry's heart plummeted as he stared at Ginny's rapidly paling body. "No I can't just leave her. She would never leave me!"

The Healer moved around the bed and took Harry's shoulders. "I need you to." He guided the distraught young man to another Healer who led him into an adjacent waiting room.

Harry sank into the soft chair, the world spinning around him. This couldn't be happening. This was supposed to be over. He was supposed to live his life, not have the one person that made life what it was taken away. He felt a hand grasp his shoulder and he looked up to see Hermione standing over him. Ron came running in behind her. Harry had been so lost in his own thoughts that he hadn't even heard her approach.

"Have you heard anything?"

Harry numbly shook his head. Hermione sat in the chair next to him, her hand still on his back. The small touch gave him a sense of comfort, knowing he wasn't going through this alone. Ron paced the length of the room, hands in pockets, head down.

It wasn't long before Molly Weasley burst into the medical ward in hysterics followed closely by Arthur.

"Where is she!"

Arthur finally caught up with his wife and put his hands on her shoulders. Ron went over to her as Harry slowly stood.

"Mum, we haven't heard anything yet."

This didn't seem to help Mrs. Weasley's condition any as she nearly collapsed in Mr. Weasley's arms. He guided her to a chair and Hermione ran to get her a glass of water. Harry watched everything unfold around him, as if he were standing outside, watching through a window. Lupin and Tonks entered just after the Weasley's and Harry felt relieved when Lupin's eye caught his own. The older man walked up to the lost looking boy and stopped in front of him. Harry slowly looked up, meeting the Lupin's eyes. His breath hitched.

"I don't know what to do."

Without a word, Lupin embraced the young man, who hugged back with surprising strength.

"It'll be all right, Harry."

Harry's shoulders began to shake with the weight of the situation; his breath became short as tears made their way down his cheeks.

"I need her, Remus. I can't do this without her."

The older man nodded in understanding before glancing at Tonks. She was on Mrs. Weasley's other side, whispering comforting words into her ear. Lupin sighed. It was going to be a long night indeed.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The clock ticked by at an alarmingly slow rate. His temples throbbed with every thump of his heart, and no amount of rubbing could alleviate the hurt that he felt. It had been just over an hour since Harry had stumbled into St. Mungo's with Ginny in his arms. No word had been heard since on her condition. Harry squeezed his eyes shut, blocking out the scurrying Healers, pacing family members, and unfamiliar noise that he had always attributed to hospitals.

"_Ginny? Ginny, open your eyes."_

"_Umrm." The young woman in the bed groaned and moved her head. The young man by her side tightened his grip on her hand. _

"_Come on, Gin. Look at me. Wake up."_

_She shifted as her eyes started to open. She blinked a few times to adjust to the light, and taking a deep breath, she finally focused on him. "Hi."_

_He bowed his head and let out a deep, shuddering breath. When he looked back up, a tear fell from the corner of his eye. "Hi." _

_She slowly reached a hand up and wiped the tear away. He smiled and took her hand, placing a kiss on her palm. _

"_What happened?" Her free hand gingerly touched the wound on her head. _

"_Death Eaters. Diagon Alley. Luckily the Order got to you before they could take you away."_

_She finally craned her neck as far as her pain would allow and took in her surroundings. She was indeed in St. Mungo's and Harry Potter was sitting on the edge of her bed, no doubt in the same spot since she had been brought there. _

_She touched her head again, and found that she couldn't move one of her legs. "How bad is it?" _

_Harry inhaled and smiled half-heartedly at her, an attempt at levity. "Pretty bad."_

_Ginny sighed and smirked, pressing her head against the pillows, her hand still firmly holding onto his. "Well…you should see the other guy."_

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

The drumming of fingers became a soothing rhythm by which Harry could slip in and out of reality. Ron sat in one corner nervously letting his fingers drop against the arm rest, whilst Harry sat in the opposite corner, his head in his hands. Hermione floated in between the two, offering comfort and receiving some in return.

Walking over to Harry, she took his hand and placed a cup of tea in it. She made sure he had a good grip before she let go.

"I want you to drink this."

He slowly glanced up at her. "Why?"

"You're shivering."

He smiled ruefully. "That has nothing to do with the cold."

She placed her hand on his arm. "Just drink it. For me?"

He sighed and nodded, taking a sip. His face screwed up in distaste at the hospital's inability to provide proper tea, or maybe the fact that it just wasn't Ginny's made it too horrible to consume. He took another sip anyway, to please the young woman with puffy red eyes who was now making her way over to her fiancé. Her fiancé. Harry had to repeat the word over and over in his head. When did Ron and Hermione decide to get married? When had they actually fallen in love? Harry was scared to realize that he could not pinpoint the moment when his two best friends became more than that. He became so wrapped up in his own life, in his own mission, his own problems to focus on two of the most important people in his life. And now they were getting married. Married. When did they all grow up?

Movement to his left drew Harry out of his internal musings and he looked up to see that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had stood up because the Healer had entered the room. Harry could not read his face. One could tell that the Healer had been in this position many times before. His face betrayed nothing of the news he was about to tell the expectant people that stood before him.

So this was it. Harry's thoughts pounded and berated him. _This is it. It's either good or bad. She's either okay or…_He shook his head, a nauseated feeling suddenly coming over him. The Healer cleared his throat bringing everyone to full attention. Ron and Hermione stood to Harry's right and Hermione held out her hand, which Harry took. He felt her engagement ring against his finger and at that moment, it all became clear. He knew exactly what he wanted, for the first time in his life. He wanted to give a ring to Ginny, get down on one knee if he had to, marry her, have children with her. It seemed so simple. Yet Harry knew that the man standing before him could take it all away in a moment.

"She's still with us, but there are complications. I won't go as far as to say that she's okay. As of right now, she is still in very unstable condition."

Harry let out the breath that he had been holding. The Healer continued, "She's strong. She's held on this far, I don't think she's planning on giving up anytime soon." He gave Harry a significant look. "We're doing all we can for her."

Arthur gave a nod of the head while Molly made a strangled noise beside him.

"Harry." Harry hazily glanced at Hermione who made a motion toward their entwined hands. Harry's fingers were white, they were gripping Hermione's so hard.

"Sorry, 'Mione."

She gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "It's okay."

Ron remained silent as he lowered himself back down into the chair. The Healer turned to leave and Harry let go of Hermione's hand to follow him.

"Excuse me." Harry caught up with him outside of the room.

"Yes, Mr. Potter?"

"Would it be possible to see her?" Harry shuffled his feet but when he looked up, the Healer saw nothing but pleading and desperation in his eyes.

"Briefly, Mr. Potter. Very Briefly. And she is not awake -"

"That's all right. I just need to see her."

The Healer nodded in understanding and directed Harry to follow him. "Through there."

Harry moved around a curtain and there she was, lying in the bed, her skin so pale, she nearly matched the sheets. Her red hair was brilliantly strewn about the pillow, while some was matted to her forehead. Harry felt his heart constrict. He cautiously stepped closer, careful not to disturb the silence of the room. He brushed the hair off of her face and placed a kiss on her forehead. A tear ran down his face and onto hers but it went unnoticed. He looked her over; she looked beaten, but not nearly as bad as when he had brought her in. Harry figured that the Healers fixed a lot of it in the time that they had, and the rest would heal shortly. What worried Harry the most was internal injuries; the cuts and bruises that he couldn't see, that he couldn't make better. The uncertainty of it frightened him.

His breath hitching in his chest, Harry bent down low next to her ear.

"I love you, Ginny. Come back to me."

He gently kissed her lips this time and closed the curtain behind him.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The silence was deafening. It could have been minutes or it could have been days, Harry would not have known the difference. He was nursing what felt like his twentieth cup of tea. The monotony was getting to him, as was the caffeine. Bill and Charlie, Fred and George had joined the ranks of awaiting family. Professor McGonagall and Mad Eye Moody had even come. Harry was comforted to know that all of these people were here to check on Ginny's well-being. One couldn't deny that the girl was loved. He rubbed his eyes again and stretched his neck.

Everyone was giving him his space, for which he was grateful. Everyone except of course Hermione, for which he was also grateful. He glanced at the ring on her left hand. It glittered happily back at him. He groaned and stood, causing everyone to glance in his direction. He ignored their concerned looks, and proceeded out of the waiting room to the doors that led to where she was.

_She let a giggle slip and he covered her mouth. _

"_Shh. The point of the game is that you're not supposed to get caught," he whispered._

"_I guess talking doesn't help either," she said as she jabbed him in the ribs. He let out a yelp and the footsteps which had been heading in the other direction abruptly turned. _

"_See what you did?"_

_He looked at her incredulously but kept his retort silent. A glare sufficed and she had to keep from giggling again. He rolled his eyes. When the footsteps died away, he shifted positions in the cramped quarters._

"_You're awful at this game."_

_She raised her eyebrows at him. "Oh am I? Then how come I'm the only Weasley with an undefeated record in the perilous and ferocious game of Hide and Seek?" _

_He laughed. "The world may never know."_

"Harry."

It wasn't the words so much as the hand on his shoulder that woke him up. He shook his head and saw that he had dropped off in a chair across from Ginny's ward. Hermione stood above him and offered him her hand.

"The Healer wants to talk to you."

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

His heart thumped in his chest. _Oh Merlin, what was it now?_

"He wants to talk to me?"

She nodded.

"Just me?"

"Yes Harry." The exasperation and nervousness was clear in her voice.

They rounded the corner and Harry nearly collided with the Healer that had set off to look for him.

"Ah, Mr. Potter. Just the man. A word?"

Harry wondered why he sounded so jovial. The thought gave him a bit of hope that perhaps Ginny was okay, or at least on the path to recovery. He quickly stifled his happy thought, for in his life, he found that hope very often led to disappointment.

"Yes, sir."

The Healer led him through the corridor to the doors that led to Ginny's ward.

"I thought that you should be the first."

Harry stared at the man bewildered.

"The first?"

Without another word, the Healer pushed open the door and proceeded to Ginny's curtain enclosed bed.

"After you." He pulled it aside and let Harry pass.

"Hi."

One word made him nearly stop breathing. There she was. Alive. Breathing. She was pale but she was speaking.

"Ginny." The name came out as a whisper, a thank you for answered prayers. The Healer cleared his throat behind him.

"She woke up a few minutes ago. She has to go into surgery shortly, but I thought you'd like to see her before we take her in."

Harry nodded wordlessly. His eyes never left hers as he moved around the bed to her side.

"I'm sorry but I can only let you have a few minutes with her Mr. Potter. We really must get her into surgery. The longer we wait…"

This time, Harry met the Healer's eyes and nodded. "I understand." His voice was choked.

The Healer turned to leave but stopped when he heard Harry start to speak.

"Thank you."

The Healer nodded and left the two alone. Harry returned his gaze to Ginny and he stared at her as if at any moment, she might disappear. She weakly took his hand and squeezed it.

"Hey, stranger."

Harry bowed his head and held back the sob that threatened to leave his chest. He gave a little laugh. "Hi."

She reached up and wiped the tear that fell from his eye, and he held her hand to his cheek.

"I don't have much time with you."

Harry nodded. "I know."

"You need to shave," she said as she traced her finger along his jaw line.

He laughed openly this time at the unexpected comment. "I'll work on it. I sort of had other pressing matters to attend to."

She gave a weak smile, but Harry could still see the way it lit up her eyes.

"I know you did. Thank you for coming to get me."

He kissed her palm. "You know I'll always come to get you, Gin."

"My hero." She smiled as she said it, both mocking and praising him. He wondered how at a time like this, she could still be the sarcastic young woman that he fell in love with. At least he knew that her sense of humor wasn't damaged.

"That's me."

The curtain was pulled back and the Healer entered again. "I'm sorry, Mr. Potter but we have to take her now."

Harry nodded and squeezed Ginny's hand before kissing her on the forehead. He moved towards the door and turned around, mouthing _"I love you"_ silently. Ginny grinned and did the same. Harry remained at the door a moment longer.

"I'll be right here."

She smiled. "You always are."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

He took slow cautious steps away from her room. As they took her to a different part of the ward for preparation, the Healer had stressed to Harry that Ginny was not yet out of the dark. This in fact could be her hardest hour. Harry understood and accepted this. He knew that surgery, even in the Muggle world, was no walk in the park. Despite these facts, he still couldn't push down that feeling of hope that had been slowly rising in his chest since he laid eyes on her. Despite his long record of disappointments, at some point, hope had to give him a break. At least that was the excuse he was using at the moment.

He turned the corner and twenty people seemed to jump up at once. Harry's footsteps halted and he stared a bit taken aback at the sudden attention. Mrs. Weasley approached him first.

"The Healer told us what was going on. How is she?"

Harry shrugged and the memory of his conversation with her made him smile. "She's just being Ginny. Joking. Being stubborn. Just the way you raised her." He put a comforting hand on Mrs. Weasley's arm and she visibly relaxed.

"So she was okay?"

Harry inhaled deeply. "As okay as she can be."

Mrs. Weasley nodded and returned to her spot next Mr. Weasley. Harry made his way awkwardly through the crowd, the burning feeling of dozens of eyes on him. He finally made it to Ron and Hermione.

"So you saw her? You know, before…" Ron trailed off, the idea of his sister in surgery making him a bit woozy.

"Yeah, I saw her."

Ron nodded. "That's good. If it was going to be anybody, it should have been you."

Harry smiled at this. "Thanks Ron."

Hermione walked up to him and pulled him into an embrace, rubbing his back, before letting go. Harry lowered himself once more into the waiting room chairs and slowly, those around him did the same. They were back to what they had been doing for the past few hours: waiting.

Harry's thoughts drifted to the dreams, visions, flashes, whatever they were that he had been having over the past couple of weeks.

"_Okay you saw. Now go away. It's bad luck." _

"_I'm pregnant." _

"_Shhh. Daddy didn't mean it."_

Harry rubbed his hands over his face and stretched his neck. Why was this happening to him? Why was he seeing visions of a future that in his mind, sounded bloody brilliant, when his reality was falling apart? Was it supposed to be a sign that everything would turn out all right or was it just fate torturing him again, dangling something so fantastic in front of his eyes yet telling him he couldn't have it all the same? In his mind, he had been tortured enough. Physically, mentally, and emotionally. He didn't need this.

And still the minutes ticked by.

…

I swear I'll get more to you. I know this was kind of a transition chapter…a whole lot of waiting went on, but there will be more. Promise. Reviews are always helpful, they let me know if I should keep writing. Thanks to all who have reviewed!


	8. Chapter 8

Come on, my lovely readers, more reviews! Please? I need feedback! Pretty pretty please. I'll make a deal with you. If you give me ten reviews, I'll give you another chapter. Sound good? Fabulous. If not, I'll probably end up posting it anyway to remain fair to my faithful readers. (I'm easy that way). Love you all.

I don't own them, but I have first dibs on Harry when they all go on ebay.

Chapter VIII

He was beginning to reach the breaking point. At last the door opened, offering him some semblance of relief. The Healer took slow steps forward and immediately, Harry knew that something was wrong. He stood up without realizing the action; he inhaled but his lungs felt no air. Hermione gripped his hand once more but Harry took no notice of her touch. He felt hot and dizzy. He needed words; he needed to hear what the Healer was going to say, and if he didn't say it soon, Harry's consciousness would not hold out.

Mrs. Weasley sobbed harder, apparently picking up the state of the news as well. The Healer cleared his throat.

"There were some complications."

Hermione sat down in the chair by Harry's side, pulling both boys closer to her. Lupin put his arm around Tonk's shoulder as Fred and George simultaneously ran their hands over their faces. Harry took it all in, the words acting as a narration to the horror story that played out before him.

"Ms. Weasley suffered from severe internal injuries; many of which we were able to heal, but some we were not. We have to Medi-App her to a specialized hospital in France. There she will undergo another surgery performed by Healers that are more specialized in this field."

Mr. Weasley interrupted, as the rest of the room remained overwhelmed by the news. "What did they do to her?"

"Sir, we aren't sure. Her body is rapidly shutting down. We believe it's a highly complex spell, one certainly not under Ministry regulations. We've never seen anything like it and we thought we would be able to fix it, but so far it's only gotten progressively worse. There is an advanced spell damage unit in Paris. It's the best in Europe. That's where she's being taken."

Mr. Weasley numbly nodded. "Whatever you have to do."

The Healer looked at the distraught faces around him. "We're going to lower the Anti-Apparition wards in this room only so that you may apparate to the facility. We'll give you instructions on how to get there." He stopped and sighed, his tone softening. "Please understand that Ginny is in for a long ride. If she makes it through the next few weeks, it will take at least a couple of years for her to fully recover. I just think that you need to understand the full gravity of the situation."

Harry understood the full gravity. The weight pressed on him and stole the air out of his lungs. The Healer spared a glance his way before he turned to Mrs. Weasley.

"Please know that we did all we could for your daughter."

Mrs. Weasley nodded and stifled a sob, clutching a handkerchief to her mouth. "Thank you."

He nodded. "Ginny is on her way, if she is not there already. The wards should be down by now as well. So whenever you're ready."

Mr. Weasley shook his hand before the Healer disappeared out the ward and out of their lives. Arthur turned to his wife.

"Are you ready, dear?"

She nodded and they turned on the spot and disappeared. Fred and George did the same, followed by Bill and Charlie. Lupin gave Harry a calculated look, as if reading him. Harry quickly averted his eyes and stared at the opposite wall. Tonks tugged on Lupin's arm, breaking him from his study. Lupin nodded and they followed in the Weasley's footsteps, McGonagall and Moody close on their heels.

"Harry?"

He looked up at Hermione and realized that they were the last three in the waiting room. Ron was ready to turn on the spot and Hermione stared at Harry expectantly.

"Hermione, I…"

"Harry." Ron stopped his apparition preparation.

"I'm sorry," Harry said as he looked at them painfully. "I can't."

With that, he disappeared.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Two Years and Three Months Later…_

"Harry, we have a meeting in 15 minutes." Lupin poked his head around the door and tossed a file on Harry's already cluttered desk. The young man jumped and scattered the papers he had been reading. Bending down to pick them up, he glared at the older man.

"Nice to see you too, Remus. So is this a meeting or a _meeting?_"

Lupin threw an exaggerated glance behind him and whispered, "A _meeting._"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Your knack for the theatrical is astounding."

Lupin sat in the chair across from Harry's desk. "You always spoil my fun." He glanced around the messy office. "Spring cleaning?"

Harry ran a hand through his hair, "You have no idea. So where is the meeting?"

"Your place."

Harry immediately started. "You can't have an Order meeting at my place!"

Lupin smiled, "Of course we can."

"Well why can't we have it at yours?"

"Because it's nap time for the baby, and if he wakes up, you get to take care of him. And you know from personal experience how pleasant he is when woken up."

Harry blanched. "Okay, my place it is."

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Ron are you going or not?"

Hermione stood at the foot of the stairs yelling up to her fiancé, who was stuffing gear into his quidditch bag a bit harder than necessary.

"No."

"It's been two years, Ron. He's explained. You've even forgiven him! Forgive and forget. I believe that is the phrase. Why can't you just get past it?"

"Just because," he said as he came stomping down the stairs.

"That's not an answer."

He brushed by her anyway.

"Hermione, I don't get why you're so ready to defend him!"

"He was hurting! He was scared!"

"We all were!"

Hermione pinched the bridge of her nose. "Ron, I will not have this fight with you again. I will not argue with you every time Harry is mentioned. If you don't want to go because of him, at least go for the Order. They need you."

"They seem to get along fine without me. I have to go to practice. We'll fight about this later." He grabbed his bag and headed for the door. She followed him.

"Yes we will." Then she stopped and checked her watch. "I'm free at five, how about you?"

Ron paused in his exit and turned, smiling at her, their argument forgotten for the moment. He laughed. "Five sounds perfect. We'll fight then."

Hermione smiled. "Okay. You forgot something." She pointed to her cheek and he dropped his bag catching her in a passionate kiss on the lips.

"Until five."

"Until five."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"This meeting is brought to order…Oh Harry, lovely sconces. Are those new?"

"Hermione, focus." George laughed at his future sister-in-law as she brought the meeting back on track.

"Right, meeting, order, sorry. Today, we've learned from internal spies that Aurors in Scotland have caught Lucius Malfoy. He was the last remaining Death Eater leader. Now a new one might emerge now that Malfoy is gone; we cannot assume that the terror will dissipate because they have no one to guide them."

A voice rose up from the back of Harry's cramped living area. "Who are the internal spies?"

Hermione looked to McGonagall, Moody, and Lupin for support. When they nodded their assent, she spoke. "Severus Snape."

Murmurs erupted all about the room and Harry completely understood their confusion and skepticism. When he learned the truth, he had to refurnish his apartment. What few pieces he owned were reduced to splinters. The voice from the back of the room piped up again.

"How can Severus Snape be trusted?"

Hermione very coolly folded her hands, but Harry could tell she was fidgeting. The look she threw his way confirmed it. "Mr. Hardwick, who do you think left the dungeon door open in Malfoy Manor and made it possible for members of the Order to rescue Ginny Weasley two years ago?"

The reason for the look Hermione gave became clear to Harry, but Mr. Hardwick was persistent.

"But why did Snape not stop what was done to that poor girl."

Hermione cleared her throat. They were broaching a sore subject for many in the room. "That was beyond his control. What he did and how he contributed, most likely saved her life."

"But Ms.Granger- "

"Mr. Hardwick! The actions of Severus Snape or the state of Ginny Weasley are not on the table for discussion today. It is the capture of Lucius Malfoy that we concerned with. It would do you well to remember that."

Harry reached under the table and took Hermione's hand. He held it tighter as she shook beside him. Mr. Hardwick was silenced and the meeting continued without further interruption.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Harry let me help you with that." Hermione went to take one of the stacks of cups from him.

"Thanks." They proceeded to the kitchen in silence. "So he couldn't come to this one either?"

Hermione paused before placing the cups in the sink. "He had practice. You know how it is."

"Yeah. I do."

She flicked her wand and the cups began to wash themselves before she turned to Harry. She heard the hurt in his voice. "He's trying."

Harry nodded silently next to her, the dishes forgotten about.

"Sometimes I think he just doesn't understand. What you did confuses him."

"Yeah, it confuses me too." Harry walked to the window. "Hermione, I was 18 and an idiot. Granted I'm 20 now and I'm still an idiot, but I'd like to think that I've learned something in the last two years."

"What have you learned?"

"I learned…that I left not because I didn't love Ginny. Merlin, did I love her. I still do." He leaned against the counter and turned to face her. "I left because I couldn't stand by and watch that happen to her. I was scared. I was scared of losing her, so instead I ran away from all of it." He laughed bitterly, ironically. "I could stand up to Voldemort, kill him, be known as the bloody Boy Who Lived, but I couldn't do something as simple as hold the hand of the girl I loved."

"It's not as simple as you think it is, Harry. It never is. When Ron learns this, he'll come back again."

Harry nodded. "Any word from Mr. or Mrs. Weasley?"

Hermione's face darkened. "Nothing. No change."

Harry turned to the window again and placed his forehead against it, letting the London evening mist cool his skin. He opened his mouth and blew hot breath on the window, before taking his finger and tracing a hippogriff, much like a red headed girl had done on a similar night just a couple of years ago.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hermione opened the door to her flat and dropped her keys on the side table. She rubbed the back of her neck as her stomach grumbled.

"You're late!"

Hermione jumped as her fiancé came skidding out of the kitchen, oven mitts in hand. "Excuse me?"

"It's 5:07. You're late. We had a date at 5:00 precisely."

Hermione smiled. "Well it seems that my tardiness has provided us with a whole new topic to argue about."

He grinned and came over to kiss her. "How was the meeting? Oh mum flooed and said that we're having big barbeque this weekend at the Burrow. I think her exact words were, 'Even with certain circumstances, the family needs a decent meal."

Hermione laughed. "Okay. The meeting went well. Although I almost hexed a man named Hardwick to kingdom come."

"What was he doing?"

Hermione headed into the kitchen, Ron on her heels. "Delving into the whole Snape, Ginny issue. Let's just say he delved a little too far."

Hermione tasted the soup Ron was making as he began to fiddle with the oven mitts. "And, you know, everyone was okay?"

"Yes, everyone seemed fine. Even Moody looked particularly chipper."

Ron was a little disheartened by this answer and Hermione would've been a poor fiancée if she didn't pick up on it. "Harry's doing well too, Ron."

He looked up suddenly. "Uh, good. Good. I'm glad, you know, that he's doing well."

"And I hope you also know that I plan on bringing him to your mother's barbeque this weekend."

Ron choked on the butterbeer he was attempting to swallow. "You're what? You can't do that!"

Hermione slammed the spoon back in the soup. "Ronald Weasley, you cannot shut him out of your life forever. You should have been there tonight. He needed you. He still needs you. You're his best mate. You've said it yourself. Just let him talk for once. Stop running away."

"Yeah that's his job."

Hermione stared at him hard. Then she turned and grabbed her coat.

"Where are you going?"

"To Harry's."

"Why?"

"Because you're being a childish prat!"

"Fine, fine. You can bring him to the barbeque."

Flinging her bag over her shoulder, she turned to her fiancé. "This isn't about the bloody barbeque, Ron. This is about you giving up almost ten years of friendship over something that you aren't even man enough to listen to the explanation for."

She shut the door in his face as the oven mitts fell to the ground.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Knock. Knock. Knock. _

"Hermione?"

She sniffed and wiped her eyes on her sleeve. "Hi, Harry."

He stepped aside and ushered her in. "What happened?"

"Ron happened. Ron the immature idiot happened." Harry sat her down on the sofa and started a pot of tea. A cry from the bedroom halted Hermione's tears. "Company?"

Harry rushed to the bedroom and came back in holding an infant. Hermione was up on her feet in an instant.

"Well hello, Sirius. He's getting so big!"

Harry handed the baby to Hermione. "Yeah he is. Remus and Tonks wanted to go out for their anniversary so I bravely volunteered to baby-sit. He keeps me company, even if all he does is drool on me."

Hermione laughed. "Oh I needed this."

"What, a baby? You know, if you just talked to Ron I'm sure the two of you could work something out. Ow!" Harry rubbed his arm where Hermione swatted at him.

"That is none of your business, Harry Potter."

He smiled mischievously and went to grab a nappy. "Here you go, he's all yours."

"How sweet of you," Hermione said sardonically. She snatched the nappy from Harry and took Sirius into Harry's bedroom to change him. She continued to call from the bedroom. "Oh I forgot! I'm taking you to a barbeque at the Burrow on Saturday."

Harry stopped cleaning. "Hermione, do you really think that's the best idea?"

"Of course I do. I came up with it!"

_Knock. Knock. Knock. _

Harry let Hermione continue to rant about her brilliance as he went to open the door. "Oh."

"Hi." Ron shuffled his feet on the other side. "Um, is Hermione here?"

Harry stepped back. "Yeah she's in the bedroom."

Ron's eyes widened ever so slightly. "The bedroom?"

"Yeah, she's changing Sirius."

"Oh." Ron's shoulders relaxed and he entered the apartment. He awkwardly stood in the middle of the flat before Harry showed him to the sofa.

"Do you want something to drink?"

"No thanks. I'm okay."

Silence.

Harry lowered himself into the chair on the opposite side of the room as Ron, putting himself at a safer distance. "You know she never did tell me why she came over here."

"We fought."

Harry nodded as if that much was obvious. "Yes I believe the words "idiot" and "immature" were dropped several times."

Ron winced. "We fought about…you."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "Me?"

"Yeah, you. You're a popular topic of conversation in our household."

Harry wasn't quite sure what to do with that. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Ron sighed, struggled with his next thought. "This visit is…long overdue."

Harry was stunned into silence. Was Ron Weasley actually taking the initiative and apologizing? Was he saying he was wrong? Harry hadn't seen that since their fourth year. Sure, Ron was justified this time for feeling the way that he did, but Hermione was right in saying that it had gone on long enough.

"Ron, I…"

"No, Harry, I'm sorry. I understand what you did. Believe me. Hermione's explained it a million times over. It's just that she was, is, my sister. And it's, you know, overprotectiveness. Even if she doesn't know it's there."

Harry nodded. "I understand." He stood up and attempted to awkwardly shake Ron's hand, but Ron pulled him into a hug instead.

"I missed you, mate."

Harry laughed. "I missed you too."

A gurgle from the doorway drew the attention of both men. Hermione was standing there, Sirius in arm. She sighed, tears making their way down her face. "Thank Merlin for that."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Mum! Dad's fire-retardant suit went up in flames again!"

Molly Weasley looked out of the kitchen window to find her husband engaged in battle with the grill. "Oh dear. George, go help your father."

The twins scurried out of the door, brandishing their wands. "Don't worry dad. We're perfectly trained for this sort of thing."

Molly sighed and continued mixing the potato salad. Harry was going to be coming to their barbeque. She loved the boy like one of her own, but every time she looked at him, she saw the daughter that she was missing. She had to emotionally prepare herself for the meal that was to come. It was the first weekend that she was not by her daughter's side and the thought made her fidget. Ginny had been the youngest, the last to leave the house. After the kids were gone, Molly had decided that she would take up something new and exotic like…tango dancing. That dream was never fulfilled because her youngest still needed her, even if she didn't know that her mother was there.

"Hiya Harry."

The knife abruptly dropped from its mid-air potato slicing and clattered to the floor. Molly looked out of the window and saw Ron and Hermione walking towards the charred grill with Harry in tow. George walked up and gave Ron a smack on the back, Hermione a kiss on the cheek, and Harry a firm handshake. Fred followed with the same. As they made their way up to the house, Molly turned in circles trying to regroup. By the time that the three reached the back door, she had put up a strong resolve and plastered a smile over her relatively obvious depression.

"Hermione! It's so good to see you."

"It's good to see you too, Mrs. Weasley." Hermione hugged the older woman, as Ron grabbed a spoon and dug into the potato salad.

"Ronald!"

"What?" He asked, spraying potato everywhere.

"Oh where are your manners?" Hermione smacked him upside the head, spraying even more potato salad. Harry absently wiped some off of his sleeve. This was the moment of truth.

"Hi, Mrs. Weasley."

A broad smile crossed her face. "Hello, Harry dear. It's been too long." She enveloped him in that familiar motherly smell that he had come to love so much. He hadn't realized how much he had missed it.

"How have you been?" Harry caught the shadow that passed across her face. It was gone before he could look twice though.

"We've been fine, dear. Now the three of you, make yourselves useful. Ron, carry these out to the table, you too Harry. Hermione, if you could give me a hand in here?

"Of course, Mrs. Weasley." Hermione rolled up her sleeves as the boys were piled high with plates and silverware to set.

"Ronniekins! Don't have a nasty fall!" That was the greeting that the twins gave him as he exited the kitchen balancing the stack of bowls. Mrs. Weasley sighed.

"Some things never change." Then she turned to Hermione. "How's Harry holding up?"

Hermione was surprised by the sudden question. "He's all right, I guess. He doesn't talk about it much." She watched him out of the window. Harry placed his plates on the table and went to help Ron whose plates were teetering at a dangerous angle. With a flick of his wand, the dishes and silverware levitated to their rightful places alongside each bench. "He's different, though. He doesn't smile as much."

Mrs. Weasley nodded in understanding. "No one does."

Hermione was caught with a lump in her throat which she couldn't quite move past. Mrs. Weasley glanced sideways at her and squeezed her hand.

"Perhaps, dear, it's getting about time, for him to move on with his life." She finished on a shaky note, not daring to meet Hermione's eyes. The young woman looked confused.

"For Harry to move on would mean to give up on Ginny." Sure Ron and Hermione had set him up on numerous dates, all of which ended miserably, but to tell Harry to move on…it just wasn't possible. Mrs. Weasley protested.

"No it wouldn't be giving up. Hermione, he's not Harry. Even I know this. He hasn't been Harry since the hospital. Help him move on." She sighed. "For all we know, Ginny might not ever wake up from this."

"Mrs. Weasley, please don't talk like that."

Molly snapped out of the gaze that had focused on the two boys setting the table.

"I'm sorry, dear. Don't mean to be so melancholy. Let's eat some supper, shall we? If Arthur hasn't ignited himself again."

Hermione absentmindedly nodded her head, the conversation having shaken her.

"Yes, let's."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Fred! George!"

"Uh oh." The chorus drew the eyes of Harry, Ron, and Hermione and the three knew immediately that trouble was coming. Bill and Charlie slid further down in their seats as Percy inched his way closer to his father. Fleur flicked her hair over her shoulder mindlessly.

"You two!" Mrs. Weasley's face turned purple as she struggled for words appropriate enough for her two troublemakers.

"I swear, Mum, we didn't do it. The Canary Cream was all Ron."

Mrs. Weasley's face scrunched in confusion as Ron looked miffed at his elder brothers.

"Hey. Thanks for dragging your own bro-" Ron's words were cut off with a poof of feathers as a tiny, yellow bird occupied his place at the table.

The Weasley children, Hermione, and Harry roared with laughter and Mrs. Weasley stared horrorstruck at what was once her son.

"You - You two – Change him back this instant!"

George recovered faster than his twin and wiped his tearing eyes on the back of his sleeve. "Well, Mum, we can't really _change_ him back. He sort of has to…"evolve" back himself. It'll only a take a minute…or five or ten."

"Five or ten?" Mrs. Weasley roared. "I came out here to smack you around for turning my frying pan into a rubber chicken, and you can imagine the mess THAT made in the kitchen! I most certainly did not come out here to see my sons turn their own brother into a bird! No more products in the house!" She turned to stomp off and retrieve dessert. "Or in the vicinity for that matter!"

Fred and George at least look slightly apologetic for their antics but it was hard to be humble when Harry and Hermione were still having difficulties keeping straight faces. Mr. Weasley shook his head and speared a charred piece of chicken.

"It feels so wrong eating this now." He dropped his fork as Hermione, Harry, and the twins erupted into laughter again. "And where are Bill and Charlie?"

A muffled "Ow!" sounded from under the table as Charlie's head popped up. Harry looked at him strangely.

"What are you doing down there?"

Charlie extracted himself from under the bench and pulled Bill up alongside him. "We've seen the worst of Mum's wrath. It's usually better just to duck and cover."

Another poof was heard and Ron sat, hair awry, looking like he had just swallowed something sour.

"I swear to Merlin, you two are DEAD!"

"Mind the gnomes!" Hermione yelled fruitlessly as three streaks of red went running around the lawn.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The dreary weather pelted the foggy windows the following night and Hermione and Ron set up camp at Harry's flat. Hermione knew that bringing up Mrs. Weasley's suggestion was a bad idea, but instead of following her instincts, she brought it up anyway. She pressed her hand to her aching head, the constant movement of her eyes taking a toll. The stubborn young man in front of her continued to pace the length of living room.

"Harry, just one."

"Absolutely not, Hermione. No."

"It's just one date. How scary can that be?"

He raised his eyebrows at her and kept pacing. Hermione looked to Ron for support but he merely shrugged his shoulders in response. She grabbed a pillow from the sofa and threw it at him. He ducked just in time and the pillow sent a picture frame crashing to the floor. Harry stared at the broken glass and slowly bent to pick it up.

Hermione covered her mouth with her hands. "I'm so sorry, Harry."

He put his hand up to silence her apology. He gingerly ran his hand across the moving picture and stared at the smiling girl who was waving happily back. She screamed and laughed as the boy in the picture threw her over his shoulder and spun her around.

"_Reparo._"

He cleared his throat and turned to his friends.

"All right. But just one."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

She opened her eyes and blinked, the harsh light straining her senses.

A Healer went scurrying down the hallway, sending papers and people flying, in search of her superior. She skidded to a halt outside of his office and breathlessly knocked on the door. She opened it without waiting for a reply and the elder Healer stared at her inquisitively.

"Monsieur, Patient 307 is awake."

….


	9. Chapter 9

Okay I know that I can't please everybody but I'm trying, I really am. I'm sorry if that last chapter felt a bit fast, but I felt as if I had to catch up a lot. Things will hopefully slow down (I have issues with pace). Thank you so much to you reviewers! You're making my day! xoxo

Chapter IX

He swerved to miss the edge the couch only to promptly bump into the corner of the coffee table.

"Oh bugger." He rubbed his knee and hobbled the rest of the way to his bedroom. "Hermione, what about this one?"

"Oh gosh, Harry, that one doesn't go at all!"

His shoulders slumped and he threw the tie on the pile of other discarded ties that collected on his bed. Ron sat in a chair by the window twirling a bottle of aftershave in his hand.

"You know, mate, there really is no hope for you."

Harry glared at his friend. "Well this wasn't exactly my idea now was it."

"Open mind, Harry. What do I keep telling you? Have an open mind." Hermione continued to flip through Harry's wardrobe. "So we've got you a shirt-

"Always important," Ron chimed in.

"- now we just need a tie. You're not taking her to a "coat and tie" restaurant are you?"

"Merlin, I hope not." Harry sank onto the edge of his bed.

Hermione stopped her searching and looked at him. "Where are you taking her anyway?"

Harry was lost for a moment. "I have the name of it somewhere around here."

Hermione let out an exasperated sigh and rolled her eyes. "This was a bad idea."

Harry pointed at her. "This was a very bad idea."

"Open mind!" Ron gestured with wide arms from the chair. Both Harry and Hermione turned abruptly and gave him pointed looks. "Or not. Closed minds work too."

A voice from the living room broke the death glare that Harry was sending Ron's way as he went to check his fireplace.

"Well done, Ronald."

"What? I was just trying to help. You say it all the time. _Open mind._ Personally,I think that when it comes to this, his mind's already made up."

Hermione smiled at Ron half-heartedly. "For once, this technically wasn't even my idea. You can blame your mother…And I know his mind's made up. I've known it for a long time."

Harry returned a moment later. "Ron, your dad wants you."

"My dad?" Ron stood from the chair.

"Yeah. He flooed. He needs you at home for something. He didn't tell me what."

Ron's brow creased. "Did he sound worried?"

"No. He actually sounded…overly casual. I don't know." Harry shrugged and sat on the bed again.

"Ok. I guess I'll see you later." He kissed Hermione on the cheek and pointed at Harry. "You, good luck tonight." He tossed the aftershave into Harry's hands and patted his cheeks. "Splash a little of this on and you're golden."

"Thanks for the advice. Your wisdom on the topic dating continues to surprise me."

Ron winked and headed into the living room. Once he was gone, Harry turned to Hermione.

"And that's the man you want marry."

She laughed and nodded. "Strange but true."

At the last second, Ron poked his head into the bedroom once again. "By the way…does this girl know you're a wizard?"

Ron looked to Harry who looked to Hermione who looked directly at the ground.

"Hermione!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ron skidded to a halt in the living room of the Burrow and brushed himself off.

"Okay, somebody tell me why I'm here and not helping Harry prepare for his disaster of a date with a muggle."

Ron looked around to find the usually well lit and busy Burrow dark and empty.

"Mum? Dad?" Ron squinted harder and saw his father sitting at the kitchen table, hands clasped tightly. He walked around to the other side of the table and sat in an opposite chair. "Dad? What's wrong?"

Mr. Weasley slowly looked up and Ron saw the eyes that held unshed tears. "Dad, seriously, you're scaring me. What happened?"

His inhaled a deep, shaky breath. "Ginny's awake."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"So you mean to tell me, that I'm about to go on a date, with a muggle? Not that I'm prejudiced!" He threw in at Hermione scandalized look. "But, Hermione, I'm a wizard! It's my way of life. If on the first date, I levitate something, she's going to run away and admit herself to the psychiatric ward!"

"Then don't levitate anything, Harry! It seems simple to me!"

The argument had moved out of the bedroom and into the living room where they circled the sofa.

"You should have talked to me first. You should have talked to me before doing anything of this."

"I did talk to you, Harry! And you agreed! I'm sorry, but I figured that for your first date away from everything that has happened you wouldn't want to be known as the Boy Who Lived. I figured that on your first date, you'd want to be known as just Harry. Everyone in the wizarding world knows who you are. So I had to search other worlds…and I figured that vampires were out of the question."

His anger drained at her last comment and he smirked. "Yes, definitely out of the question. I like my blood where it is, thank you."

She smiled. "So now do you understand why I did what I did?"

He nodded though a tad reluctantly.

"Now come on. Let's go steal a tie from Ron. We're running out of time."

"But he has worse taste than I do!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ron opened and closed his mouth. He propped his elbows on the table and sank his head into his open hands. "What do you mean, 'she's awake?"

"Your mother flooed an hour ago. Ginny woke up. She just opened her eyes and woke up." Arthur still seemed to be in a bit of a daze. "I told her to stay there with her and that I would contact everyone. You were a bit hard to track down. But then I remembered what was happening tonight and so I tried Harry's."

Ron's head sank lower. "Oh, Harry. What am I going to tell him?"

Arthur looked up suddenly, "Is he happy?"

Ron was startled. "What?"

"Is Harry happy?"

"Well, he seems to be. I mean, he's getting there. You can tell that he misses her, but he's slowly getting back on track."

"Then tell him nothing."

Ron sat up straight. "Dad, I can't do that. Do you have any idea what would happen to him if he found out that I kept something like this from him? We've just sorted out our friendship too. He would hate me. I cannot do that to him. "

"Ron, if it's for his own good, you can."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry smoothed out the front of his shirt and Hermione stood back to take a look.

"Not bad. And the tie looks fabulous."

"Yeah, but we had to steal it from Remus. I told you Ron had bad taste."

Hermione gently smacked him upside his head.

"Hermione, you messed up my hair!" Harry looked in the mirror to make sure nothing was sticking up.

"Oh Harry, there is no helping that hair."

He took a deep breath and looked at his watch. He had 20 minutes before he was supposed to pick her up. "What's her name again?"

"I swear to Merlin, Harry, if you forget her name while on the date, you are in big trouble."

He held his hands up defensively. "I promise I won't forget."

"Her name is Anna."

"Anna." He sounded it out in his head. At least it wasn't some awful name like Maude or Petunia. How his grandparents could name one daughter Lily and the other Petunia was beyond him. "Where did you meet her anyway?"

"She's the cousin of one of the people I work with at the Ministry. No that doesn't mean that she knows about the wizarding world," she said, cutting off Harry's question. "Her parents have kept her…sheltered, shall we say." At Harry's skeptical look, she sent him reassurance. "She's perfectly normal. I've met her. Very sweet."

Harry inhaled. "I guess I better get going."

Hermione smiled tightly and gave him a squeeze. "You'll be fine, I promise." He nodded. "And you know where you're taking her now?"

"Yep, I found it." He held up a piece of paper, bearing the name of the restaurant.

"And remember: no magic!"

He rolled his eyes. "Got it."

As Hermione went to get her coat from the closet, a picture frame on his bookshelf caught Harry's eye. He slowly went over and stared at the spinning boy, the girl flung over his shoulder. He reached out, and after a pause, he turned the picture face down on the shelf.

"Ready?"

Hermione's voice made him jump and he turned to face her. "Yep."

She handed him his coat. "I'm just going to floo back to my place. You can apparate to the park across the street from her house. It's relatively secluded there. Just tell her you took a taxi. Oh! Muggle money!" Hermione reached into her bag and handed him some money.

"Hermione, I can't take this."

"You can pay me back later. You obviously need muggle money and you aren't going to get it anywhere in the next seven minutes."

He conceded and put on his coat. Hermione waved from the fireplace before she shouted out the name of her flat.

Harry moved to the middle of the room, giving himself enough room to spin on the spot. Before he turned, he stared at the bookshelf once more but Ginny Weasley no longer smiled back.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The silence that reverberated off of the naked walls made an involuntary shiver run up his back. When was a hospital ever this quiet? When was it ever this…white? White walls, white floors, white ceilings, white sheets, white uniforms. Although he mocked them from time to time, he missed the neon green suits that the Healers in St. Mungo's wore. He felt self-conscious about his bright hair. He flattened it down as he walked, drawing curious stares from the staff.

He hoped they were almost there. His footsteps sounded like thunder. The guilt that he was feeling at being there without Hermione's but especially Harry's knowledge was eating him up. An unpleasant nauseated feeling had settled itself in the pit of his stomach. If Harry had been there, he would have recognized it as the same unpleasantness he was feeling as he made his way up to a stranger's doorstep. As it was, Harry was not there. Nor would he be any time soon. The unpleasantness grew stronger.

He hoped they were almost there.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

He cleared his throat and took deep breaths. _Just knock already._ Harry raised his hand to rap on the door when he noticed the little buzzer. He pressed his thumb against the button and he heard a polite ring sound on the other side of the door. _This is it._

The door swung open and a young girl stood there breathlessly, a hand to her chest to slow her beating heart. "I'm so sorry. I'm not quite ready yet. Please come in." The words rushed out so quickly that it took Harry a minute to realize that she was inviting him in the door.

"Oh thanks."

"Harry, right? I'm Anna." She stuck her hand out and he shook it. He got a good look at her for the first time and the sight made him nearly stopped breathing. He was staring at a ghost. Anna looked like a brunette Ginny. Her soft brown curls fell partly down her back, her face was speckled with freckles and her blue eyes stood out against her pale complexion.

"Hi Anna." He let go of her hand and sat down to the seat she gestured to.

"Honestly, I'll be one minute." She dashed back upstairs and he got a good look at the well furnished apartment. He recognized various muggle things that he hadn't seen in a long time. The thought of Mr. Weasley exploring the apartment made him smile. He would have had a field day.

"Okay, I'm ready." Anna descended the stairs in a black dress, her hair tied loosely up. "I'm sorry about that."

"It's – uh – it's all right." He smiled and swallowed hard. She was more beautiful than he expected; certainly more beautiful than anyone he thought Hermione would set him up with.

"Shall we?"

Harry nodded and held out her coat for her as she slipped into it.

"Thank you. So where are we going?"

Harry searched his pockets slowly, then frantically. "Um, Fra-…it begins with an F, I know it. I just seem to have lost my piece of paper." He laughed nervously.

Anna smiled and laughed. "Don't worry, I know a great place." She led him out of the door and Harry was beginning to think that the night just might not be a total disaster.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Your mother's waiting for you."

Ron inhaled and glanced between the door and his father. "Yeah, okay."

He took two steps and stopped. His heart thudded harder with every step he took. He took three more. Standing in the doorway, he nudged the handle and took his first steps into the room.

"Mum?"

"Shh. She's asleep." Mrs. Weasley waved her hand at him, sending him into an uncomfortable silence. He finally let his eyes trail to the bed. There she was, the way he had always seen her; eyes closed, a steady breath. Yet this time, there was something different about her. She seemed to have more life in her. She was brighter and immediately Ron felt relief at knowing that upon entering the room this time, there was a definite chance of her waking up instead of the infinite waiting.

"How is she?"

Mrs. Weasley looked at her daughter again. "She's fine. The doctor's say that there's no mental damage. She'll have to undergo a little bit of physical therapy to get her back into shape, but other than that, she's…perfect."

"How'd she take to the news?" Ron shoved his hands into his pockets and took a seat across from the foot of Ginny's bed.

"What news?" Mrs. Weasley looked at Ron in confusion.

"The news that she'd basically been asleep for two years."

"Oh that news." Mrs. Weasley bit her lip. "She was a bit…loud. At least we know her vocal capabilities are in top form."

"Was she upset?"

Mrs. Weasley nodded. "You know Ginny. She doesn't appreciate being left out of the loop. Well that loop has grown two years larger and she doesn't think she'll be able to catch up."

Ron looked at his sister. "It's going to be hard."

"Yes it is." Mrs. Weasley studied her son. "I know that you don't like what you have to do. But let Ginny get back on her feet. Let Harry recover a bit more. It really will be in everyone's best interest in the end."

Ron thought back to Harry. "Sure. Everyone's best interest."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"If I eat another bite, I really think I will explode."

Anna laughed as Harry put his hand to his stomach.

"That was incredible. Thank you for recommending the place."

"It was my pleasure." She pulled her coat tighter around herself.

They walked back along London's streets in the direction of her apartment. Taking advantage of the beautiful night, they decided to stroll along instead of calling a taxi.

"So, Harry Potter, I don't know much about you but you've been asking me questions all night."

Harry gulped. This was it. It was time to lie.

"Now I know that Hermione works for the government along with my cousin. And you know that I'm training to become a doctor. But what do you do?"

"Oh I work in the government too. But a different branch than Hermione and your cousin. I'm in the…enforcement branch." He mentally cringed at his choice of words but he couldn't very well tell her that he was an Auror now could he. She seemed to take it in stride however.

"I see. You're not MI5 or something are you?" She looked at him with raised eyebrows.

He laughed. "No I'm not. But then again, even if I was, I wouldn't be able to tell you now would I?"

She laughed. "No I suppose not."

They walked in silence, taking in the cool night air. Harry stopped abruptly causing Anna to turn. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, just…I haven't seen stars like this in a really long time. Not in London anyway." He pointed to the sky and she followed his gaze.

"They're beautiful."

As she gazed up at the heavens, Harry took this moment to look at her again. He had been awkwardly avoiding eye contact for too long all night. Her hair had fallen out of its loose clip and fell down her back. He saw the look of pure joy and awe in her eyes and he felt a pang in his chest.

_They spun so quickly that the world around them was a blur._

"_Harrrrry!" She laughed as her red hair flew out around them. _

_The picture was snapped and the two rapidly fell to the ground in a heap a moment later. Laughter rang out across the yard of the Burrow and she turned to face him, head propped up on her hand._

"_I see two of you."_

_He smiled. "All the better." He slowly stood on wobbly legs, took one step forward, and promptly fell flat on his face, eliciting another round of laughter from the girl. _

"_Are you okay?" _

"_Yeah…The grass tastes fabulous by the way. No more spinning for today."_

_She smiled and pushed his hair out of his face. "No more spinning."_

"Harry?"

"Hm? Sorry." Harry snapped out of his daze and focused on the brunette in front of him.

"Are you okay?"

He nodded fervently. "Yep. Just got a bit lost in thought."

She smiled. "Okay." She held out her arm and he took it, grateful that she didn't press the matter. "Well this is me." They stopped in front of the flat that he had picked her up in.

A sudden fear gripped him. What was he supposed to do now? Kiss her? Go in? Go upstairs? Harry shook his head at the thought as the blood drained from his face. They were getting closer and closer to the door and Harry's heart thudded louder and louder in his chest.

"Thank you, Harry, I had a great time."

He smiled despite his nervousness. "So did I." After all it was the truth.

She took away all of his fear with one gesture. She grasped his hand, squeezed it, and leaned in, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Goodnight."

He gave her a dazed smile. "Goodnight."

She turned to enter her apartment as he made his way down the couple of stairs to the sidewalk. However, something made him turn around. He could hear Hermione's voice in his head: _open mind._ He pushed the past deeper inside of him and cleared his throat. "Anna?"

She turned to face him. "Yes?"

"Are you free for lunch tomorrow?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The young woman groaned, covering her eyes from the sunlight that streamed through her window. Her toes wriggled underneath the sheet that covered her and she stretched her fingers into the mattress beneath her. She opened her a eyes and a warm smile crossed her face when she saw the tall, lanky red headed boy asleep in the chair at the foot of her bed.

"Ron?"

He stirred and opened one eye. Both eyes proceeded to shoot open when he registered who had awoken him.

"Ginny? You're awake!" He scooted his chair closer and took her hand in his. She smiled and squeezed back as hard as she could, but Ron felt barely any pressure. It would take time.

"Have you been here all night?"

He shrugged. "Yeah. Mum said you woke up. So I came right on over. How are these French Healers treating you? All right?"

Ginny shrugged. "The food's better than St. Mungo's. But I've only had one meal that I can remember."

Ron smiled. "Right. I forgot."

"Where are Mum and Dad anyway?"

"Dad sent Mum home to get some rest. Dad got called into work."

Ginny nodded. "And the boys?"

"Fred, George, and Percy stopped by earlier while you were asleep. Bill and Charlie owled to say that they would be here later."

Ron held his breath. Maybe it wouldn't come. His hopes got higher with every silent second that passed. His hopes were shattered a moment later.

"Where's Harry?"

Ron was silent as he looked to the ground, a pained expression crossing his face. What was he supposed to do now? He wasn't prepared for this.

Ginny's voice shook as she gripped Ron's hand harder. She had strength that Ron wasn't aware of.

"Ron…where's Harry?"

…


	10. Chapter 10

I love my faithful readers. You really do make my day. I'm studying in Rome so I'm sorry if my updates are not as frequent as you'd like them to be. I'm doing the best that I can though. Again, I don't own them. And again, if I did, I wouldn't share Harry or Cedric. What can I say, I'm selfish.

Chapter X

"So things went well?" Hermione placed a plate of eggs in front of Harry and went to refill her coffee mug.

"Well I'm taking her to lunch today, so I guess you could say they went well." The smile on his face was proof enough for her as she dropped some cream into the brown liquid. "Oh did Ron say what his dad wanted?"

Hermione's smile faltered ever so slightly. "No, he didn't. He got in late last night and scurried out to practice early this morning. I never had a chance to talk to him." She hated lying to Harry but she certainly didn't want to tell him that she hadn't seen hide nor hair or her fiancé since he left Harry's apartment the night before.

Harry shrugged and continued with his breakfast. "I hope it wasn't anything serious."

Hermione paused in stirring her coffee. "I'm sure it wasn't."

"Merlin, is that the time?" Harry squinted at his wristwatch.

"Yes, it's -"

"I'm late! Moody is going to have my head." Harry stood up rapidly from the chair and grabbed his coat from the closet.

"But, Harry, you haven't finished your breakfast!"

He ran over to the table and stuffed a piece of toast in his mouth before giving her a muffled, "Uh huh." He gave her a quick hug, another muffled "thank you" before jumping into her fireplace.

She ran after him. "Swallow your toast! You're going to get soot all over it."

He paused, chewed rapidly, and swallowed. "Thanks. That would've tasted awful." He flashed a smiled and threw the powder to the floor, disappearing in a flurry of green flames.

Hermione sighed and stared at the empty fireplace in confusion. Harry had changed so much in the past few weeks; she kept seeing the boy she knew before the war. She smiled and turned to finish her coffee.

A "bang" and "flash" elicited a scream from her that echoed around the flat. Her fiancé tumbled out of the fireplace, coughing and wheezing and wiping smudge from his face.

"Ron?" Her moment of shock rapidly dissolved to that of pure rage. "Ronald Weasley! Where have you been?"

He held up his finger as he coughed up his smoke-filled lungs but that did not deter Hermione from giving him a piece of her mind.

"I've been going absolutely mad! I didn't sleep at all last night! Why didn't you let me know that you were okay! For all I knew, you could've been run over by a hippogriff!"

He raised his eyebrows at her but she ignored him.

"And worst off, I had to lie to Harry!"

He coughed once more and was finally able to get out some words. "You're not the only one."

Her rant subsided and she stared at him. "What do you mean? Ron what's going on?"

He ran a hand through his wild hair causing dust to fly all over the living room. Hermione sighed and tried to ignore it.

"Ginny's awake."

Her jaw dropped and she felt behind her for the seat that Harry had knocked over in his haste. Slumping into it, she stared up at Ron and saw just how exhausted he was.

"She's awake?"

He nodded.

"Just like that?"

He nodded again.

"Wow."

"Yeah."

"How is she?" Hermione's eyes followed Ron as he headed for the kitchen.

"Was this Harry's?"

Hermione nodded as Ron gestured to Harry's half-eaten breakfast. He sat down at Harry's place and picked up a piece of bacon.

"Ron!"

He looked at her and held his hands up in innocence. "What?"

"How is she?" Hermione stressed each word a little bit more.

"Oh she's fine. Totally fine." He stuffed another piece of bacon in his mouth and pointed at the toast. "Do we have any more of this?"

Hermione got up out of her chair and stalked into the kitchen. "Yes. We do. But you aren't getting any until you tell me how your sister really is!" She snatched the plate away from him, ignoring his incredulous look.

"But Hermione, I'm starving. I haven't eaten since-"

"Dinner. And now it's breakfast. It won't kill you to wait five more minutes."

He slouched in his chair and folded his arms across his chest. "Fine."

"What did she say when she woke up? Does she know that she's missed two years? How did she take it? Does she know about Harry? Oh what about Harry! He's just met Anna!" Hermione's hands flew to her mouth and she stopped her pacing.

Ron held his head in his hands. "Hermione you're giving me a headache! One at a time! I don't know what she said when she woke up, I wasn't there. Yes she knows she missed two years and she bloody well wasn't happy about it." He stopped and stood up, reaching unexpectedly for Hermione's hand. His tone softened as he looked at his fiancée. "No she doesn't know about Harry. And Harry doesn't know about her. And that's the way it's going to stay."

"But- "

"Don't, Hermione. I can't take it right now. I've been arguing this all night. Right now I just need some bacon, some toast, and some coffee!"

Hermione walked over to the counter to fix him breakfast, patting his rear on the way. "And a shower."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Has Moody been by yet?"

Harry grabbed a file off of his secretary's desk, ducking behind her stack of papers to avoid being seen.

"No he hasn't."

"Good, good. Well I'll just get to work on this. If anyone asks, I've been here all morning." He began to tiptoe his way to his office when he knocked over a pile of boxes. His attempt to collect them before they hit the floor was useless and the noise clattered down the hall.

"Potter! You're late!" Moody limped his way towards Harry, piling the boxes back into place with a flick of his wand.

"Yes, sir. I'm sorry. Won't happen again."

"Let's hope not." Moody turned and hobbled back down the hall.

Harry remained stock still before rolling his eyes at his secretary and dashing into his office.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"One step. That's it. Good. You're doing great, Ginny."

She gripped the bars as the Healer carefully watched her progress from the chair in the corner. Mrs. Weasley nervously bit her nail, silently coaching her daughter along.

"Just make it to the end, Ginny. Good job."

One foot after the other, she slowly made her way to the other side of the room. Her legs wobbled and her knees shook but she stayed strong and inched her way further and further towards her goal.

"You're almost there."

Beads of sweat started to form at her brow but she blew her hair out of her face and continued on. Two years of not using muscle weakened her dramatically. Before the Healer resorted to his wand, he wanted to see how she would progress if she physically worked her way back to her original strength. He would intervene when necessary.

She reached the end of the bar that supported her and instead of stopping like the Healer had instructed her to, she let go and took two steps on her own. Then two more. She walked until there was no more floor to walk on and she leaned against the wall, panting and pushing her hair out of her face. The Healer stared at her perplexed as her mother ran to get her a glass of water.

"Mum, I'm fine. Really." She heaved out a cough from her tight chest and allowed herself to be helped into a chair.

"Just take it easy, dear." Mrs. Weasley practically poured the glass of water down her daughter's throat as the Healer scribbled things into his file.

"That was impressive, Ginny."

She glanced at the Healer and gave a small smile. "I try."

"You've shown excellent progress. I'll start you on alternative means of treatment this afternoon."

Ginny looked at him in confusion and he twirled his wand in his hand so that she would catch his meaning. Medical magic. _It was about bloody time. _Ginny took the arm that her mother offered her and ever so slowly made her way back to her room.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"So I heard that you got off to a lovely start this morning. Angering Moody already?" Remus didn't wait for Harry's reply before entering his office.

"Hello to you too."

"Someone's in a chipper mood."

Harry glared at the older man. "I didn't get to finish my coffee this morning."

"Ah I see." Remus stared at him with a smug smile on his face.

Harry looked at him warily. "What are you on about?"

"So…how was your night?"

Harry rolled his eyes, but somehow couldn't stop the smile that formed. "It was fine."

"Fine? From what I hear, it was a lot better than 'fine."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "Who have you been talking to?"

"Oh Hermione had strict instructions to floo me as soon as you left her flat. She got held up but I eventually got the information I needed." He shot Harry a smirk.

"I hate you."

"No you don't."

"Nice to know that my life is being broadcast to the greater metropolitan area."

"I wouldn't count myself as a metropolis."

"Well there's you, and Tonks, and Hermione and Ron by now no doubt."

Moody chose this moment to poke his head in the door.

"Sorry about this morning, Potter. I heard you had a special engagement last night." He gave an uncharacteristic grin and shut the door, leaving a shell-shocked Harry and a very amused Remus.

"Mother of Merlin. Next thing you know, Scotland Yard will be posting up flyers."

"Oh please, Harry. They're muggles. They don't care what you do. The Ministry, on the other hand, is photocopying flyers as we speak."

"Out. I'm kicking you out of my office."

Remus finally let loose the laughter that he had been holding in. "Fine but I'm just here to tell you that we have another meeting. Today at noon."

"But-"

"Problem?"

Harry sighed. "No. Not at all."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ron shifted nervously in his seat under the scrupulous gaze of his fiancée, his parents, and his brothers.

He knew he wasn't supposed to tell. He knew he shouldn't tell. Harry was so happy at the moment. However Ron had never been one to handle guilt well. He had never been one to handle pressure well. He had never really handled anything well. There was always a time to start he supposed.

"The meeting is called to order." Remus knocked on the table three times and the din hushed to an eerie quiet. "There unfortunately have been more Death Eater attacks. That is the topic on the table for today's discussion."

"Where were they?" Arthur Weasley sat further in his seat and murmurs broke out all around him.

"Downtown London. Just this morning. By the time we got wind of it, it was over."

A door opened and in rushed a frazzled looking Harry. "Sorry I'm late. I – sorry."

Remus nodded in his direction and continued with his briefing. "There were no fatalities but dozens of injuries I'm afraid to report."

Harry slid into the vacant seat next to Ron who visibly stiffened at his presence. "What's going on?"

"Death Eater Attack in London."

Harry nodded quietly and focused on what Remus had to say, oblivious to the look that Hermione shared with Ron. He slipped in and out of the moment; his mind kept taking him back to the conversation that he had moments before he flooed to Remus's flat. It made him late but in his mind it was worth it. He had had an important phone call to make.

"_Just breathe and dial the numbers." Harry stared the small piece of paper as his hand began to shake. "Oh for the love of Merlin." He pounded the numbers into the phone and waited with every beep that rang in his ear._

"_Hello?"_

"_Anna? Hi, it's Harry…from last night." _Of course she remembers you_, he mentally scolded himself. It had barely been twelve hours. _

"_Hi Harry. How are you?" _

"_Fine. But I'm afraid I'm going to have to cancel our lunch date. I have a very important meeting that's come up and I feel really awful about this." _

"_Harry, it's no problem. I have to follow a doctor while he does his rounds anyway. I was going to call you when I had a spare moment."_

"_Oh okay. So another time?"_

"_How about dinner?" _

_Harry couldn't help the way that his heartbeat picked up. "Dinner sounds great. This time I'll find a place and I promise not to lose my piece of paper."_

_She laughed. Harry loved her laugh. It reminded him of Ginny's. _No! Bad thinking!

"_Sounds good. What time?"_

"_Eight?"_

"_Lovely." _

"_I'll pick you up then."_

"_Okay. Bye, Harry."_

"_Bye, Anna." _

_He hung up the phone and sighed, casually glancing at the opposite wall. That opposite wall just happened to have a clock on it. "Shite, I'm late again!"_

"…So clearly we're going to have to send in an operation and see if our tip is credible."

Harry's eyes snapped back into focus and his attention shifted to the man speaking in front of him. Remus eyed him carefully, giving Harry the impression that he had known he had been daydreaming.

"We'll send off two teams. Moody will lead the first and Kingsley will lead the second. We'll divide up from there."

Murmuring broke out again when Remus had concluded his briefing and Harry turned sheepishly to Ron. "Um, I have a question."

"Shoot." Ron looked over the heads of people for Hermione.

"Where are we going and when?"

Ron stopped his search and looked at his friend. "Bloody hell, mate. That girl really did a number on you, didn't she."

Harry looked down and felt his cheeks warm. "I didn't sleep well last night. I just zoned out a bit."

Ron eyed him. "Uh huh. Sure." His eyes brightened when Hermione squeezed through the crowd and joined them. "Ah, my lovely bride-to-be. Harry here would like to know where we are going and when?"

Hermione turned to Harry. "Weren't you paying any attention during the meeting?"

He bit his lip. "My mind might have wandered a bit."

She smacked him but remained silently thankful that he had finally found some distraction in his life. Going all gung-ho into every single mission was not what she considered "healthy" for a 21-year-old.

"Well I'll just have to fill you in then. We're going North. The base of what's left of Voldemort's Death Eater's is thought to be there. We're leaving tomorrow morning. Early. So sleep tonight." She stressed the last sentence.

Harry held up his hands defensively. "Okay, I got it. Tonight. Rest. Tomorrow. Early."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Yes, that's the general idea." She inhaled and clapped Ron on the shoulder. "Well I think we better get going."

Harry stopped them before they turned. "You know I haven't eaten yet, I was thinking we could grab a bite."

Ron and Hermione shared an uncomfortable look. "Harry we'd love to, but Ron and I really have to go over some wedding things. We've really been lagging in that department."

Harry looked slightly crestfallen as he did whenever wedding business or the whole concept of "Ron and Hermione" excluded him but he smiled anyway. "Okay. Well I'll catch up with you later."

"Bye." They headed out of the busy room and over to the fireplace, leaving Harry behind.

"Wedding business? We had wedding business to attend to?"

"Well it sounds perfectly plausible, Ronald. We are, after all, _engaged._ Weddings do tend to come after proposals."

"But we've been engaged for over two years now. Why are we planning all of a sudden?"

"I don't know, Ron! It was the first excuse to pop into my head. You didn't seem to be offering anything up! Besides I couldn't very well tell him that we were going to visit your sister who's been comatose for the better side of two years as well. I don't think that would have sat well with him."

Ron gaped at her. "Okay, wedding business it is." He paused and looked at her. "And now that Ginny's awake, you do know what this means, right?"

Hermione smiled genuinely. "Wedding business."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Mum, if I have to eat one more pudding pie, I think I'll die from spontaneous combustion."

"But, dear, the extended family sent them. It would be a shame to let them go to waste."

"Who says that I have to eat them? Just because I was the sick one, does not mean that I have to inhale every single tart and cake that comes my way! Besides, no one will know if I consume them or the garbage can does. Dad, a little help here."

Arthur looked at his daughter and covered his smile with his hand. She huffed and continued to throw things in her bag. Her much longer than usual red hair fell about her shoulders and she quickly tied it up to get it out of the way.

"I'm just happy to be getting out of here."

"Who knew you'd get to leave so soon."

Ginny paused in her mad packing and looked at her mother. "Well he said that as long as I keep up with my exercises, the charm he used should work perfectly. If I don't keep up with them, however, my body shall fall back in decay and disrepair." She finished melodramatically, throwing another item into the bag.

"That's lovely, dear."

"Thank you. I thought so." She continued about the room as Arthur sat back and watched his daughter, swallowing the lump that had lodged in his throat. He never thought he would see her open her eyes again, let alone scurry about a room.

"Do you think they'll miss this?" She held up a small trinket from her side table that apparently belonged to the hospital.

"Ginny, it's not good to start off as a kleptomaniac in your first hours awake. That just doesn't bode well for the future."

Ginny shrugged and placed the trinket back in its place on the table.

"Hello?" Ron knocked on the door as he entered.

"Hey!" Ginny bounced over and gave her slack-jawed brother a hug. "What's with the face?"

"You-You're up. You're walking!"

"Ah yes. The beauty of magic." She spun on the spot. "Now what did you bring me?"

"Who says I brought you anything?"

She faced him, hands on her hips. "Because you had strict instructions not to return unless you brought something or someone with you."

Ron smiled. "Then you're in luck." He opened the door wider to reveal Hermione and Ginny's smile broadened.

Hermione could not stop the tears that welled in her eyes no matter how much she fanned at her face. Ginny stepped forward and grasped the girl in a tight hug.

"I missed you."

Hermione struggled through her sobs. "I missed you too."

Ginny couldn't help but laugh as Hermione wiped her splotchy face on the back of her sleeve.

"I'm okay. Really I am." Hermione continued to dab at her eyes. Ginny pulled back and looked between the two.

"And when exactly did you two get engaged? Ron told me last night that you two have been planning on getting married for two years!"

Hermione looked at Ron, realization dawning on her. "Oh right. He proposed right before you were taken. We hadn't told anyone. Except Harry." She stopped talking abruptly, the name silencing her words. Ginny stiffened ever so slightly but only those that knew her well enough could tell. As far as she was concerned, the only one who knew her well enough wasn't present at the moment, so she seemed unaffected by Hermione's comment. Of course if the one who knew her well enough had been there, he would have seen past the faulty smile and strong façade. He would have seen straight through to the heart that hurt whenever his name was mentioned.

Ron came up behind Hermione and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Sorry we didn't tell you sooner. You were a bit…indisposed." He smiled sardonically and Ginny grinned.

"I'm just happy that you waited."

Hermione grabbed her hand. "Of course we did. We couldn't get married without you. Who would be my maid of honor?"

Now it was Ginny's turn to try and speak through her rapidly constricting throat.

"Th-thank you."

Ron headed towards the bed. "Come on. Let's go home." He noticed the haphazard way that the clothes were thrown into the bag; some sleeves and pant legs still hung out of it, as if trying to escape Ginny's ferocious packing. "Anxious to get out of here?"

Ginny walked by him and grabbed the small trinket from the bedside table. "You have no idea." Tossing it in the bag, she hurriedly closed it up and tossed it into Ron's awaiting arms.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry nervously drummed his fingers on the table and repeatedly glanced at his watch. 7:46 PM. He had 14 minutes until he had to pick her up. Why was he so nervous? He couldn't keep still. His leg bounced rapidly and he put his head in his hands only to jump up from the table a moment later and pace the length of the room. He paused in front of the hall mirror and checked his reflection: somewhat decent. As he turned to pace the living room once more he saw the face down picture frame on his shelf. It was then that he realized that anxiety was not the only feeling he was experiencing. Guilt weighed him down like a cement block strapped to a drowning man's feet.

It had been two years. He had been told to let go. Even though he wasn't by her side night and day didn't mean that he didn't think about her every waking hour and all of the minutes in between. He loved her. He still did. There was no denying that. But as Hermione stated and Ron agreed, it was time to move on.

Then why did it hurt so much?

The clock struck eight and he cursed aloud, wondering how he had let himself get lost in thought for that long. He quickly apparated to the park across from Anna's flat, pushing any though of Ginny from his mind.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"I love what you've done to the place."

Ginny dropped her bag by the door and glanced around the Burrow kitchen. It looked exactly the same.

"Well, we didn't want you to come home and be shocked, dear." Mrs. Weasley moved by her and picked up her abandoned bag.

"Well, my brother's engaged to my friend and the guy I loved is off doing Auror work in America. A change in the wallpaper would not have been at the top of the list."

Hermione looked at Ron over Ginny's head and mouthed to him silently. "_America_?"

He shrugged and took the bag from his mother, heading for the stairs. Ginny stopped him before he reached the first step.

"Wait Ron. Now Mum, don't take this the wrong way, please. But I'm 20 now. Apparently." She had the ability to laugh at her situation, missing out on two years of her life. Ironic as it was. "I'll stay here for a bit, you know, until I recover completely, but after that, I'd like to start to look for my own place." She waited with baited breath for her mother's explosion.

Instead all she got was a sigh.

"I knew this day would come. I'm just glad to have you back. I can't argue over where you hang your hat at night."

Ginny looked utterly confused. "Seriously? That's it? You're not going to argue?" She looked to Ron to make sure that he too was hearing this all correctly.

"Why would I argue? You're 20. If my math is correct, I was married by your age. You should certainly be allowed to have your own place."

Ginny opened her mouth to respond but closed it immediately. Hermione stepped into the middle of the room.

"You know, you'd be welcome to stay with us. We're right in London and you could start to hunt for a flat. Plus I could use some help with the wedding planning."

Ginny's eyes immediately brightened and she looked to her mother for approval.

"It's not my decision, dear. Although it sounds fine to me."

Ginny turned back to Hermione. "I'd love to."

Hermione smiled and casually ignored the way Ron flailed his arms behind Ginny's back. "Great it's settled then."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"What was all that about?" Hermione stopped Ron as they flooed Ginny's stuff back with them to their flat.

Ron spun on her. "What do you mean, 'What was all that about?' What do you think's going to happen tomorrow morning when Ginny wakes up and Harry, who's supposedly in America, is eating breakfast at our kitchen table?"

Hermione's eyes widened. "Oh…Right I didn't think about that."

"No. You didn't. We are going to have two very angry people on our hands."

"Right. Very angry."

"And you know how I love breakfast. It won't do if people start throwing flatcakes at each other."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"I had a great time tonight, Harry."

"So did I." He turned and smiled at her, holding his gaze a little longer than necessary. Then being the brave soul that the wizarding world knew him to be, he reached over and took her hand. She smiled and Harry was reminded how much he loved it when she did that.

"And you didn't lose your piece of paper. You should be proud of yourself."

He laughed and nodded. "Oh believe me. I'm quite proud. It's a miracle I found your flat in the first place."

She held his hand a little bit tighter. "I'm glad you did."

He was caught off guard by the comment but it made him feel lighter all the same. "So am I."

"We're back again."

"Huh?" Harry had been so busy staring at her that he hadn't realized that they had reached her flat once more. "Oh, right."

She started up the stairs, searching for her keys in her small bag. She searched probably longer than necessary. "Found them." She held them up, just for proof.

He smiled and hoped that his grin didn't give away his beating heart. Surely she must be able to hear it. It sounded absolutely deafening to him. It was then that he realized that their hands were still enclosed around one another. She followed his gaze to their interlocked fingers.

"Harry?"

He didn't answer. She was about to tell him that she needed her hand to unlock her door but the sentence never formed. She never even got a chance to utter a word. Before she knew it, Harry Potter's lips were on her own, his free arm around her waist. She pressed back, enjoying the feeling, her fingers finding their way into his hair. Harry took hold of the moment, ignoring the fact that she lived on a busy street, ignoring the fact that something inside of him told him it wasn't right, ignoring the clang of her keys as they dropped to the ground.

…


	11. Chapter 11

Okay. I figured that I had to get this next chapter up quickly because I probably angered some readers with that last chapter, but please don't leave me yet. You're talking to a die hard Harry/Ginny fan. So just bear with me. Keep the reviews coming! Oh and some people asked why I was in Rome. I'm a study abroad student so there you go. Also always remember that _italics _denote either flashbacks, flashforwards, or thoughts.

Chapter XI

Ron shifted his weight from foot to foot and bounced lightly up and down. The morning was cold and misty, its dew fogging up the windows of his flat. Hermione came up behind him and placed a mug of something warm in his hand. He grasped it tightly and continued to bounce until her hand on his shoulder made him stop.

"It's time to go."

He nodded and cast a glance over his shoulder towards the bedroom door on the opposite side of the room.

"Should we tell her?"

"Do you want your very stubborn sister to know about this?"

"Point taken."

"Let's go. Moody will be angry."

"Right."

He looked at the closed bedroom door once again before heading towards the fireplace and taking a handful of powder. He paused for a moment and Hermione looked at him questioningly.

"You go ahead. I'll be right behind you."

"Okay. Don't take too long. He said 7:00 sharp."

"I know."

Hermione threw the powder on the ground, calling out 12 Grimmauld Place. Ron watched her go and then turned to the side table and pulled out a piece of paper from the drawer. He scribbled something and then followed his fiancée, trying not to let his nerves get the best of him.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Are we all here?" Moody surveyed the crowd before turning to go back over charts with Remus and Arthur.

Ron nudged Hermione in the side and bent low to whisper in her ear. "Where's Harry?"

Hermione shrugged. "He's never been one for being late."

Ron's eyes widened when he remembered what Harry had been doing last night. "You don't think…?"

Hermione shook the thought from her head. "No, absolutely not." She bit her lip. "He wouldn't!" Their harsh whispers were drawing the attention of others.

"I'll kill him."

"Hey. Remember this was your mother's idea."

"It was her idea before Ginny woke up."

"And it was your father's idea not to tell him."

Ron was out of arguments.

"No one can tell him that he can't do this, Ron. You can smack him around all you want. I might even join you. But he certainly has the right."

Ron crossed his arms in protest. "Well he has no right to let it make him late. Especially for this."

At that moment, Harry burst into the room looking quite disheveled and what Hermione guessed to be the clothes he had gone out in the night before. All eyes focused on him and the deep red that flushed his face surprisingly matched the tone of the loose-hanging tie around his neck.

"Sorry." He made himself as small as possible as he maneuvered his way over to Ron and Hermione.

"Hey, guys. Sorry I'm late." He tried to sound as nonchalant as he could, though the underlying tension was enough to choke a man.

"I don't believe you, Harry."

"Oh come on, Hermione."

She turned and faced the opposite side of the room.

Harry looked at his friend. "Ron?"

"Not now, mate."

Harry's jaw tightened in frustration. "I'm sorry, but wasn't this all your idea!"

Hermione finally whipped around and looked at him. "Did you sleep with her?"

Harry's eyes went wide. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me, Harry. Did you sleep with her?"

He yanked off his tie and unbuttoned his top collar button. "Explain to me how that is any of your business."

"Because I'm here to watch out for you and to make sure you don't do stupid things, which you do quite often!"

At the rising noise level Ron grabbed both Hermione and Harry by the elbow and steered them into the hallway.

"Please answer me, Harry."

"I don't have to. This isn't Hogwarts anymore where I just do what the queen bee says."

"Harry-"

"No, Hermione! I didn't sleep with her! Are you happy?"

Hermione stood with her hands on her hips. "Did you want to?"

Ron stepped back to a slightly safer distance.

Harry ran his hand through his hair. "You don't ever stop do you…You know what? Yes. I did want to sleep with her. Physically I wanted to sleep with her. I'm sorry, Hermione but I'm a 21 year old boy – man – whatever….But emotionally? I couldn't touch her because I'm still in love with a girl who went to sleep two years ago and took my heart with her!" He stopped and swallowed hard, looking much more vulnerable than he had sounded a moment ago. "Are you happy now?"

"Harry…"

He held up his hand. "Just don't."

He threw his tie against the coat rack and yanked open the door to the meeting room.

"Well, that went well." Ron finally stood in front of Hermione and looked at her. "You should've considered a profession as an interrogator. The Auror department could use you."

Ron's comment was the last straw for Hermione as she broke down into tears. He wrapped his arms around her and rubbed her back. "It's okay. This is what you guys do. You fight and make up. It'll be all right by tomorrow."

"Promise?"

Ron looked doubtfully at the door that Harry had just exited through.

"Yeah, I promise."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Okay, Harry, you're with Kingsley. Hermione, you as well."

Hermione looked down and Harry stared at the opposite wall, careful to avoid eye contact with each other. Ron grabbed Hermione's hand, not pleased with the thought of being separated from her. Moody growled orders to the rest and divided them up accordingly. When he reached Arthur, he stopped and pulled him away from the rest of the Order.

"So let me get this straight. Ginny's awake…and Potter doesn't know?"

Arthur slowly nodded. Moody clapped him on the back. "Hope you know what you're doing." He returned to the crowd who was busy going over the plan.

"Right, Kingsley, your group will go first. You have three minutes. The picture frame is the portkey." Moody bellowed over the room, immediately bringing hushed whispers.

Kingsley nodded and began to gather his group around the small frame. "You all right, Harry?" He looked to the boy at his left as he hastily undid the buttons at his wrists and rolled up his sleeves.

"Never better, sir."

Hermione caught Harry's eye for a brief moment before he looked away again.

"We'll see you over there, Moody."

Moody gave a curt nod to Kingsley's statement as Ron walked up behind Hermione and whispered something in her ear.

"I will," she responded. "I love you too."

Ron nodded at Harry before he turned, taking his place next to his father and brothers.

"Everyone ready? On my count."

The room had gotten quiet. Too quiet, Harry thought.

"Three!"

Harry finally caught Hermione's eye and gave a slight smile. If there was any possibility of death, they might as well face it on good terms. She smiled back.

"Two!"

The door opening behind Harry drew his attention from the portkey. He didn't turn and it wasn't until the voice spoke that he nearly let go.

"Ron, why didn't you tell me that you were going on a mission for the Order today? I could've helped!"

"One!"

Before Harry could turn around to see if he had finally cracked, he felt a familiar pull behind his navel and he was spinning far away from 12 Grimmauld Place, Ginny Weasley's voice still ringing in his ears.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Ginny, dear, it's far too early for you to be flooing." Molly tried to reason with her daughter, but Ginny's gaze remained fixed on the area where the first group had just disappeared from. "Ginny, are you all right?" Arthur shared a nervous glance with Ron.

"Yeah, I-I'm fine. Just thought I saw something. That's all….and what's this about me not being able to floo?" Before Molly knew it, Ginny had rounded on her. "Did I not just apparate yesterday? From Paris?"

Molly conceded. "Well yes, dear, you did. But you haven't quite mastered the portkey landing and to try it now would be a bit hazardous to your health."

Ginny sighed. "Fine. Then I'm waiting here until everyone returns." She plopped down into a chair a popped tart that her mother had laid out into her mouth.

Molly looked ready to argue but Moody cut in before she could utter a word. "Everything all right here? Nice to have you back, Ms. Weasley."

Ginny smiled. "Thanks, Professor. Everything's fine." She shot a look at her mother.

"Good then. The second group really has to get going. Can't leave the others waiting for too long."

Arthur nodded. "Right."

They gathered around the portkey as Ginny and Molly backed against the wall.

"Three!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Hermione, what was that? What the hell was that?"

"Harry-"

"Don't 'Harry' me. That was Ginny wasn't it."

She remained silent.

"Answer me, Hermione. Was that or was that not Ginny Weasley."

"Harry-"

"Stop it."

She was silenced. Never had she heard him sound so venomous.

Kingsley cautiously approached the two while the rest of the group hung back.

"Harry, Hermione, we really have to-"

"Just a moment please, sir, I'm having a bit of an issue right now."

"I understand that, but there are people here," he gestured to the group behind him, "who need you. We have something to do right now so I need you to put those issues aside right now and deal with them the second this is over."

Harry's jaw clenched and the tiny muscle at his temple throbbed but he nodded.

"Yes, sir. I apologize."

Kingsley nodded and turned to shout directions to his group when there was a noise from above. Multiple thuds resounded as the second group either hit the ground or floated gracefully from the sky.

Harry spotted Ron attempting to get up from his sprawled position. He walked up to him slowly and Ron opened his mouth, attempting an apology but none came. Harry never gave him a chance as his fist connected with Ron's jaw. Hermione screamed and several people gasped as Ron was punched back to the ground. Harry walked back towards his group, ignoring Hermione who was helping Ron up from where Harry had knocked him down.

"Okay, sir, I'm ready."

Kingsley mutely nodded as Harry continued on. He stopped about twenty paces away after he realized that he didn't know where he was going. He didn't even know where he was. He was North. Whatever that meant. Kingsley stopped beside him.

"I'm sorry, Harry."

"You knew?" Harry kept his eyes focused on the landscape, barren though it was. He saw the Auror nod out of the corner of his eye.

"We all did."

Something inside of Harry twisted. "Well then." He inhaled deeply and cleared his throat. He would not let his emotions get the best of him. "Where to?"

Kingsley sensed the need of a subject change and pointed in the general direction of due east. "That way."

"Sounds good." Harry proceeded in the direction that Kingsley pointed, ignoring Hermoine's tears, ignoring Ron's bloody lip, ignoring the eyes that burned holes into the back of his head.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Well that was fruitless." George stretched his neck as they trudged their way back up the hill to their awaiting portkeys.

"Not every tip is going to be a good one. We lucked out with the one that led to Malfoy." Arthur came up behind his son and clapped him on the back. Fred and George shared a look.

"Dad, what about Harry?"

Arthur stopped walking and looked behind him. Harry was in deep conversation with Kingsley and Moody. "I don't know, boys. I really don't know. I think we really mucked this one up."

Fred and George stopped their father. "Hey we didn't do anything!"

"Well the family on the whole is not on Harry's favorite persons list. If that includes extended family like Hermione, you better believe that you're involved."

"Fine but we'll have you know that tomorrow we're changing our names and dying our hair."

Arthur found it in him to smirk. "Yeah, good luck with that."

The twins gathered around the portkey with Ron, Hermione, and their father. Harry hung back and "graciously" offered to go with the second group. Once the Weasley family and few other members of the Order disappeared, Remus approached Harry who stood on the other side of the hill, staring into the distance.

"Harry."

"Don't talk to me."

"Don't do this, Harry."

Harry spun on him, causing the older man to back up a few steps. "Don't do this? Seriously? You're like my father, Remus, and yet you hurt me in the most painful way that I could've been hurt!"

Remus was shocked into silence by Harry's words. He hung his head. "It won't help, but I am truly sorry."

They stood in silence for a while, both examining the ground and what lay on it. "Come on. It's time to go."

Harry silently followed Remus to the portkey and prepared for the biggest confrontation of his life. A lot of things scared him, but Voldemort was nothing compared to the temper of Ginny Weasley.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"What happened to you?" Ginny jumped up from her seat at the table as soon as the first wave of Order members appeared in the living room. She pointed at Ron's bleeding lip and he briefly looked like a deer before it connects with a car's front bumper.

"…I tripped."

"And what happened with the tip?" She handed Ron a cloth for his face.

"Nothing happened. It was a dead end." He stepped forward and hugged his mother who had been pacing the perimeter of the room. Arthur then led Molly into the other room, whispering as he went.

Ginny looked at Ron strangely. "Then why do you all look as if someone's died?"

Many Order members looked away or left the room entirely at her comment, trying to avoid being anywhere in the vicinity if her reaction was anything like Harry's. A pained look crossed Ron's face as he stared at his sister. Her hands flew to her mouth and she gasped. "Oh my god, who died!"

"Ginny, Ginny, nobody died." He reassured her as she visibly relaxed.

"Oh…Well thank Merlin." Then she punched Ron in the arm.

"What was that for?"

"For scaring me like that!"

"Ow, Gin, that hurt." He pouted and rubbed the area she hit.

"Oh please, Ron. You've known it hurts ever since I could crawl."

He turned to Hermione who had kept quiet ever since Harry silenced her. "That's sad, but true."

She forced a smile. Suddenly, Molly came scurrying back into the living room.

"Lunch in a bit! Ginny, I need your help in the kitchen."

"But, Mum-"

"Now."

"Right."

Ginny knew better than to argue. She raised her eyebrows at Ron and followed her mother out of the room right before a loud noise announced the arrival of the second group.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry reached out for the nearest thing to steady himself as he landed. The nearest thing just happened to be Hermione's hand. He quickly let go and stood up straight, briefly surveying to room.

"Where is she?" The question was directed at Ron.

"In the kitchen."

"Does she know?"

Ron shook his head. "She thinks you're in America."

Harry inhaled. "I see."

He walked past Ron and into the hallway, picking up his discarded tie from the lone coat rack. Ron, Hermione, and Remus followed him.

"Harry."

"Look, Ron. If you didn't want me near your sister, you should've just said so. I probably wouldn't have listened to you, but at least you wouldn't have been a bastard about it."

With that, he fixed his tie and slammed the front door. Ginny exited the kitchen holding a chocolate covered spoon.

"What was that?"

Hermione walked away, not having the strength to lie anymore. Ron glanced at his sister, chocolate around her mouth, flour on her cheek. She looked so innocent.

"The wind."

She shrugged, accepting this excuse and returned to her brownie batter. She never knew that the man that she loved was on the other side of the door that she had been so concerned about.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry leaned against the front door, wanted nothing more than to run into that kitchen and grab hold of her. She was so close, after two years. He wanted to see her, to touch her; to know that she was real. So many things held him back though. He didn't stay with her. He got scared and left. He didn't deserve her and upon knowing the truth, he doubted if she would ever be able to look at him again. He would much rather direct his anger at her family for keeping her from him than give in to the anger he felt at himself for staying away from her from the start.

He didn't deserve her.

He threw his coat on and started walking, his feet leading the way.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Harry?" She opened the door and smiled at the surprise.

"Hey, Anna. I'm sorry to drop by like this."

"No it's ok. Really. Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. Just had a rough day at work."

She nodded and held the door open farther. "Working on a Saturday? How overachieving of you." She smiled and Harry's troubles instantly felt lighter.

He entered the apartment and sat down on the couch, the couch where he had slept the night before. "Yeah, well. It's a rough job, what can I say."

"Working for a government that's falling to pieces? I'd say that's more than rough." She smiled again and handed him something to drink. "If you're hungry I was just about to make dinner."

Harry smiled for the first time since that morning when he was with her. "That sounds great."

Something ate at his mind though. It was an issue that he needed to clear up. He couldn't tell if his heart was beating quickly because of the girl whose apartment he was in, or because of the girl whose face he hadn't seen in two years.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"_Drop your wand." _

_He stared at the person opposite him who held her tight against him. She struggled and he choked her harder. _

_He repeated again. "Drop your wand." His voice sounded low and firm but the terror he felt on the inside could not be matched on any level._

_The wand that was pressed to his wife's neck slowly moved down and jabbed her enlarged abdomen._

"_You first, Mr. Potter."_

_He stared into her eyes as his wand clattered to the ground._

Harry awoke with a gasp, sitting upright in his bed. Trails of sweat trickled their way down his neck and he inhaled deeply to calm his beating heart. That hadn't happened in a long time. He hadn't had visions in years. Why now? The subject matter of the vision disturbed him greatly but he decided that he would think about it in the morning. After all, he didn't know who the man was that was threatening his wife. He wasn't married and he wasn't about to be a father. He didn't think it a pressing matter at the time.

He turned over to complete his restless night of sleep, but pounding on his door at 7:00 in the morning did not make it possible. He stumbled out of bed, tripping himself up in his tangled bed sheets. He bumped into the sofa because he didn't have time to find his glasses. He had to stop the wretched person who was banging on his door at that ungodly hour.

Yanking the door open he yelled, "What?"

"Morning, Harry."

He squinted. "Hermione?"

"Yes. It's Hermione."

He went to shut the door in her face but she put her body weight against it.

"You do realize that I could shut this door if I wanted to, but that might put you at risk of personal injury."

She gritted her teeth against his strength. "Since when did you care about my personal safety?"

He rolled his eyes. "Just because I depise, loathe, and detest you at the moment, does not mean that I want to physically hurt you."

"Thanks, Harry. The sentiment is overwhelming."

"I owe you no apology."

"I know that. Why do you think I'm here?"

Harry finally stopped pushing against the door, causing Hermione to fly into his apartment. "A little warning next time might be useful."

He helped her up. "I have to admit, I did enjoy watching that."

She brushed herself off. "I bet you did. The vague, blurry shapes must've been fascinating." With that, she stalked off into his bedroom and retrieved his glasses from his side table before he did himself an injury. Seeing his sheets, she called from the room. "And how did you sleep last night?"

"Just peachy, thank you. Hermione, just get to why you're here, please?"

She handed him his glasses. "Why do you think I'm here? You promised two years ago to be Ron's best man and to walk me down the aisle. I am not giving up on that. I refuse to have anyone else give me away so if you don't do it, I'm not getting married." She crossed her arms and leaned against the back of his sofa.

He scratched his head. "I guess that puts a little bit of pressure on me, doesn't it."

"I guess so."

"Hermione, I can't forgive you, just like that."

"I know, Harry, and that's not what I'm asking for. I'm just asking that we make an effort, all of us, to fix this. So that when the time comes for me to walk down that aisle, I'll have your arm to take. Got it?"

He couldn't help but smile. They might hate each other at times, but Merlin did they love each other too.

"Got it."

They were silent.

"So when's the big day?"

"Four weeks."

Harry nearly choked. "Four weeks!"

"Well we've already waited over two years so we decided that we'd plan quickly."

Harry sighed. "So I guess that means that I have four weeks to forgive Ron?"

Hermione nodded. "It would be great if you could do it in less than three."

"I'll try."

Hermione looked hopeful all of a sudden. "Does that mean that you've forgiven me?"

"Nope."

"Just thought I'd ask."

He smiled. "No harm in asking. You want breakfast?"

She nodded. "I'm starving."

As Harry made bacon and scrambled eggs, he realized that four weeks really was the ultimate deadline. In four weeks, there would be a wedding. In four weeks, Ginny would be the maid of honor. In four weeks, he would be the best man. There was no avoiding the encounter.

In four weeks…

…


	12. Chapter 12

I know there was a lot of tension in that last chapter so hopefully this one will be a bit lighter. Apologies for the screaming and yelling. Anyway, on we go. I don't own them but I'm saving up my pocket change to buy them.

Chapter XII

She fingered the trinket that she had stolen from the hospital and turned it over in her hand. She had grown quite fond of it. Slipping a chain through the little loop at the top, she clasped it around her neck. Admiring how it looked in the mirror, she smiled and opened her door, ready to greet the chaos outside.

"I just need an answer, Ron! Tulips or Roses!"

Ginny smiled as she got closer to the kitchen.

"I don't care, Hermione! They're bloody flowers!"

Ginny heard a thud which she assumed to be the planning book hitting the table.

"Well it's your bloody wedding! And centerpieces are important! So which? Tulips or Roses!"

Ginny finally reached the kitchen doorway and saw Hermione standing at one end of the table, Ron standing at the other, the wedding book thrown in between them. They stopped and looked at her as she entered. She glanced from one to the other.

"Ding, round one?"

Hermione rolled her eyes as Ron slumped in the chair. Ginny shrugged. She thought it was funny.

"I might scratch the silver tea set I was going to get you and opt for boxing gloves instead."

This elicited a smile from both. Pleased with herself, Ginny moved to the cupboard to fix herself some breakfast.

"Well you two are starting early this morning."

Hermione picked up the discarded wedding book. "We have less than four weeks. We need every hour we can get."

"But they're flowers, Hermione. Just flowers." Ron ran his hand over his face in his chair. "If you can't decide, then we'll take both! White roses, red tulips. Happy now?"

Hermione sighed. "Ron, how are we going to pay for that?"

He stared at her. "You're a witch, Hermione. Conjure them. Turn Ginny into a centerpiece for all I care."

"Hey!" Ginny gave a miffed response as she poured milk into her cereal.

Ron grabbed Hermione's hands. "We can do this."

She couldn't help but smile. "So, white roses, red tulips? Your taste might not be half bad after all, Mr. Weasley."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ginny flipped through the paper later that morning, trying to find a suitable apartment that wouldn't break her bank accountant upon the first month's payment. Which also reminded her that she needed a job. Hermione told her that she would talk to her superiors at work. Ginny had had a reputation before the "incident" as they liked to call it, and she only hoped that her reputation held out. She held an affinity for the Department of Mysteries ever since her fourth year. She wanted to learn more about it. And so Hermione was in the process of putting in a good word for her. Ron had left for Canons practice and Ginny had a date to meet Hermione for lunch and quickly go dress hunting before she had to be back at work.

And so she flipped past another page. London was expensive.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Remus sighed and tossed another piece of paper into the waste bin.

These tips were getting ridiculous. Apparently the Death Eater Headquarters was now in an underwater cave in Capri. Next it would be a five star hotel on Bora Bora. He groaned and yelled to his secretary.

"I need to see Harry!"

She poked her head in. "Yes sir. And you do know that all you have to do is push that button. Then you won't have to shout."

He glanced at the multiple buttons on his desk. It seemed too "muggle" for him, the concept of buttons. "Right."

She disappeared and Harry stood in his doorway a few minutes later.

"Yes?"

"That cold tone really won't do, Harry."

He remained in the doorway. "What do you want, Remus?"

"I'd like to have a civil conversation with you, but I realize that I might have to call back another day for that."

Harry took a step forward into the office. "Why'd you do it?"

He sighed. "Harry, I found out the night before you did. Arthur owled the senior Order members to let them know that Ginny was all right. He mentioned that you didn't know yet, but not that you wouldn't ever know. And even if I had known that they were planning on keeping it from you, it wasn't my place to tell you. That was Arthur and Molly's decision. Please understand that."

Harry moved further into the room. "I just don't get it." He looked utterly disheartened as he sat in the chair opposite Remus' desk.

Remus leaned forward. "Harry, I don't think that they did it for any reason against you. In fact, I think they did it because you were happy. You had just met Anna, and they wanted you to try and get your life back on track. They also wanted Ginny to get her life back on track before they threw the two of you together again. Please know that they didn't do because they don't like you or they don't approve of you. You know you're like a son to them. They thought they were protecting you."

He inhaled deeply, taking in all of the information. "And Ron?"

"If there was something Ron hated more than taking Potions, it was keeping this from you. From what Arthur told me, he argued with them a lot about it."

He nodded and stood, heading for the door.

"Don't hate him forever, Harry."

He stopped and looked at Remus.

"I never hated him at all."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Ginny, you're late. We have much to do in a very short amount of time."

Ginny inhaled. This was going to be a long lunch break, despite the time constraints that Hermione claimed they had.

"Come on. Let's start in Madam Malkin's." Hermione took hold of Ginny's arm and the two made their way through the crowds of Diagon Alley and into the fabric filled shop.

The stuffy smell of perfume and dust mites hit Ginny and caused her to involuntarily cough. Hermione threw her a look before proceeding to the back where the wedding gowns were. Hermione took one look around and turned on her heel.

"We're going to a muggle shop."

Ginny stared after her in confusion before following obediently. "Hermione, it's called a lunch break for a reason."

Hermione either didn't hear or chose not to.

The next shop yielded nothing as well. Ginny was getting antsy. Hermione liked that veil but none of the dresses.

"So will Ron be wearing a tuxedo or dress robes?"

"Dress robes. And he better have new ones. Harry will be wearing them too. Oh I have to get them matching vests!" Hermione bit her lip.

Ginny's head snapped up. "Harry?"

Hermione looked slightly scared for a moment that she had made a momentous mistake, but she quickly recovered. "Yes Harry. You really didn't think that he would miss our wedding did you?"

Ginny's face paled a bit. "Oh, no. I guess not. And he's…?"

"Best man. Better than having your brothers fight over it."

"So he's best man and I'm maid of honor?"

Hermione tried to hide her smile. Ginny seemed to be getting more worried by the minute. "Yes."

"Okay. And when's the wedding?"

"Three weeks and 5 days."

Ginny paled even more. "Okay."

"Would you like to eat now?"

Ginny numbly nodded. "Yeah I'm not feeling too well."

Hermione led the girl out of the shop and they found the nearest sandwich shop to take a break and replenish Ginny's rapidly falling blood sugar.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ginny paced back and forth in Ron and Hermione's kitchen, thinking about what Hermione had told her earlier that day. Of course Harry would be going to the wedding. He wouldn't miss that no matter what continent he was on. Ginny was naïve to think that she wouldn't have to face him again for a while. She stopped pacing.

Why didn't she want to see Harry again?

She felt so confused. She had thought that he would be by her side when she woke up. She thought that he would be the first thing that she saw.

"_I'll be right here." _

"_You always are."_

She shook her head. She couldn't expect him to wait for two years…Could she?

There was a whooshing sound in the living room and crash as something was knocked off the table. Ginny stopped her mental scolding and followed the noise.

She stopped when she entered the living room. The person standing in front of her looked very surprised and a bit nervous to see her.

"Ginny?"

She took deep breaths but that did stop the lightheadedness.

"Harry."

Blackness.

_So much for four weeks…_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

So many things flashed before her eyes. She was back to their first kiss. She remembered the feeling of being picked up and spun. The feeling of having hundreds of eyes trained on her and not caring a bit. The feel of his lips on hers and how right it felt.

"Ginny?"

The feeling of his hand in hers.

"Ginny?"

The feeling of his hands on her cheek and forehead and hair. At the realization that he didn't do any of that that day, she knew that she was not kissing Harry Potter for the first time and that something was horribly wrong. She blearily opened her eyes and green eyes framed by round rimmed glasses came into focus.

"Gin, are you all right?"

Yes, her mind was not playing tricks, that was indeed Harry Potter with his hand on her cheek, holding her in his arms. She strained her neck and tried to sit up. He helped her up, pulling her into a sitting position. She rubbed the back of her head.

"You're in America."

He gave a wry smile. "Obviously not."

She stood and leaned against the couch. Her insides were in knots, her emotions were running entirely too fast to discern what exactly she was feeling and worst off, her heartbeat went wild every time she looked at him. So she kept her eyes trained firmly on the floor.

"Ginny, are you okay?" He took a step closer.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a bit, surprised I guess. After all I haven't seen you in two years. I wake up and I'm told you're in America and now all of a sudden here you are in my brother's living room. Yeah, I guess that classifies as okay." Her voice rose to a level she didn't mean it to get to.

"I can see how that would come as a bit of a shock."

A feeling of hurt overcame her at the moment. "You knew?"

He looked confused. "Knew what?"

"You knew that I was awake and yet you didn't come, you didn't write. You just disappeared."

Harry sighed and sat on the arm of the sofa. "Ginny, I found out you were awake two days ago. At Grimmauld Place."

"So I wasn't seeing things. That was you in the first group."

He ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah that was me."

"I see." She twisted her necklace in her hand. "If you found out I was awake two days ago, then where were you?"

He sat on the coffee table. "Not in America."

"See America would've been okay. America would've been for work-related purposes. It would've given me an explanation for why you weren't there when I woke up. But now…Where were you Harry?"

"Here." He couldn't bring himself to say that he had run from her.

The intense hurt she felt combined with rapidly strengthening anger. Yet she still couldn't look at him and not feel completely vulnerable.

"So when you said that you'd be there when I woke up…you were lying."

Harry lowered his head, now realizing why the Weasley's had kept the two apart. "You know I wasn't lying, Ginny."

She broke. "Then where were you!"

"I was afraid!" He stood up and paced the room. "I was afraid that I would never see you again, but I couldn't sit there and watch you go through that!"

"So you left."

"So I left. And I'm sorry." He sat down again. "You have no idea how sorry I am."

"Get out."

Harry lifted his face from his hands. "What?"

"You heard me, Harry. Get out. I'm sorry but I can't deal with this right now."

"Ginny, it's been two years. Can we please just talk?"

"What do you want to talk about? I've been asleep. So what's been going on in your life? Oh wait, you promised you'd be there and then you left. I remember now."

Standing up, Harry looked at her hard. "That's mature."

She turned to face him. "I would've stayed. If it had been you, I would've stayed. I'm not the immature one in this situation. You left because it was too hard? How do you think I feel right now, knowing that you couldn't pull it together enough to be there for me when I needed you most. I feel like the most worthless person." She laughed bitterly. "It was stupid of me to expect you wait around that long, but I guess I've always been the hopeful one."

Harry looked at her, all anger gone. He opened his mouth to speak but he couldn't find anything to say. She was right, about everything. He gave her one last look before heading towards the door.

"Nice necklace by the way."

Her hand unconsciously moved towards the chain around her neck as she gave him a strange look. "Thanks. I stole it from the hospital."

He stared at her. "No you didn't. I left it for you at the hospital. I gave that to you."

Her eyes widened ever so slightly. No wonder she had grown attached to it. Harry was just happy that she didn't remove it in that moment and chuck it at him.

"Goodbye, Ginny."

He opened the door and closed it behind him, leaving her in the middle of the room, tightening her grip on the trinket around her neck.

"Bye."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry slammed the door and stalked down the stairs to the street. Pulling his coat tighter around himself, he started walking. He didn't know where he was going but he knew that something hurt and it would be a while before it stopped.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

She walked down the hill so quickly that she nearly fell a few times. She hoped she knew where she was going. She had only been here once before on a private tour for Ron's 10th birthday so it had been awhile. She pushed through the doors that led to the locker room and yelled out a warning.

"I hope you're all dressed! If you aren't, you might want to do so!" She stormed through the multitude of shocked, confused, and amused quidditch players as they scurried to cover up their lower halves with towels, uniforms, and bludgers. She wound her way to the back of the room, spotting the red head amongst the rest of the players.

"Ron! I swear to Merlin, I think I just might kill you!"

Her brother jumped up from his place on the bench, thankfully still clothed in his quidditch uniform.

"Ginny, what are you doing here?"

"I have to talk to you." She placed her hands firmly on her hips.

"What happened?"

"What happened? I'll tell you what happened." She grabbed his arm and maneuvered him out of the locker, to the laughs and jeers of his fellow players. When she had him out in the open of the field she spun on him, releasing the death grip she had on his arm. "Harry Potter happened! He came to pay you a little visit today, Ron! And let me tell you, he was quite surprised to come across me instead! Guess who hasn't been in America all this time? Guess who had to look like an idiot in front of him, wondering why he was in England and not doing Auror work across the Atlantic?"

Ron lowered his head.

"I cannot believe you did that to me. Or to him, for that matter."

"I'm sorry, Ginny. I didn't want to."

"But you did."

"Ginny, I'm so sorry."

She held up her hand and he stopped talking. "I don't want to hear it Ron." She began to walk away.

"You didn't seem him, Ginny. You didn't see the way that you being hurt just destroyed him."

"Don't defend him."

"I'm not defending him. I'm just saying that when you got hurt, he just fell apart. He couldn't be there."

Ginny was silent. She wanted to believe that. But something inside of her was hurt beyond anything that her brother's words could fix.

"He still left Ron. And you lied to me about it."

She walked away, leaving her brother alone on the quidditch pitch feeling guiltier than he ever had.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Harry what are you doing on my couch?"

Hermione walked into her office and threw her bag on the boy sprawled out on her sofa.

"I've had a rough day. And when did you get a couch?" He burrowed himself deeper into the cushions.

"I did something good and it was a gift from the department." She shrugged off her coat and tossed that onto him as well.

"Thanks, I needed a blanket. Your office is drafty." He took her coat and draped it over himself.

"Seriously, Harry, why are you here?"

"I ran into an old friend today."

"Oh?" She absentmindedly shuffled papers on her desk.

"Yeah. You know her well. About 5'5'', red hair, freckles, goes by the name Ginny."

Hermione stopped shuffling. "Oh Harry."

"Yeah it was _great_ let me tell you. I go over to your place to talk to Ron and sort things out because Remus told me what really happened, and there she was, looking like she'd seen a ghost." Harry covered his face with Hermione's coat. "What do I do?"

"Well what did she do?"

He uncovered his face again. "Well first she blacked out. So after reviving her, she yelled…a lot."

Hermione stood up and sat next to Harry. "About what?"

"She asked the ultimate question. Where was I when she woke up? Where had I gone if I wasn't in America…So I had to tell her that I left…She was pretty angry."

Hermione put her arm around him.

"I'm sorry."

He looked at her with mock enthusiasm. "It's going to be a fun wedding! Especially after I invite Anna."

She stood up quickly, causing Harry to fall off of the couch. "You're inviting Anna?"

"Well yeah. Ron said, 'Harry Potter and guest.' She's my guest. Ginny certainly made it quite clear that she had no desire to talk or even to see me, but I don't think it would do if the best man and the maid of honor stood with their backs towards each other the whole time. It would not do. Totally wreck the aesthetic formation."

"Harry, have you been drinking?"

"Nooooo." He buried his head under Hermione's coat again, remaining on the floor.

"Come on, you drunkard. Off my carpet."

Harry rolled over and got up on all fours. "Oh, consuming multiple pints before 5 P.M. was probably not the best idea."

Hermione helped him back on the couch. "Probably not. Stay here. I'm flooing Ron."

"Don't do that. I'm still a teensy bit mad at him. We haven't sorted things out yet so even if I wasn't mad, I'd have to act mad so we could sort the madness out."

"Harry?"

"Hm?"

"Stop talking."

"Okay."

Hermione disappeared for a few minutes and when she returned she saw Harry staring inquisitively at a picture on her desk.

"When was that taken?"

"A few months before the battle."

"I've never seen it before."

"It was buried away with all of my things from my parents' house. After I unpacked it all, I put it here."

Harry nodded and held onto the desk for support.

"Standing up was a bad idea."

Hermione smiled. "Ron will be here in a moment. He'll take you home."

"Oh okay." Harry leaned more of his body weight against the desk causing it to slide across the carpet a bit.

"Harry how about you sit down for a moment."

A voice came from somewhere on Hermione's desk causing Harry to jump and stumbled back to the couch.

"_Ms. Granger, you're needed in the conference room." _

Hermione shouted back over to her desk. "I'll be right there."

"What was that?"

"Nothing, Harry. I have to go. Do you promise to behave yourself until Ron gets here?"

He nodded vigorously and then held his head in pain. "If the room stops spinning."

She laughed, despite his situation. "Okay. I'll see you later tonight." She kissed him on the cheek and walked out of her office.

Harry looked around and sighed. He found the pillow on the couch to be very interesting. He played with the tassel on the corner, flipping it back and forth. That's how Ron found him three minutes later.

"You all right there, mate?"

"Huh?" Harry looked up from his playing. "Yeah, I'm great. You know, Hermione has a great sense of style when it comes to interior decorating."

Ron held back his laughter at Harry's slurred s's. "Yes she does. Come on, let's go home."

"Oh-kay." Harry stood and would've fallen over if Ron hadn't jumped forward and caught him. "Whoa. You know, Hermione's floor is uneven. Someone should tell her."

"We'll write her a note."

"Okay."

"Okay." Ron supported Harry as the two of them zigged and zagged their way out of Hermione's office, bouncing off of the doorframe before finally squeezing through. Ron got him to the floo and they made their way back to Harry's flat.

Ron helped Harry into bed and took off his shoes, tossing them by the door.

"Hey Ron?"

"Yeah?" He tossed the covers over Harry and went towards the door.

"I'm in love with your sister."

Ron sighed. "I know you are."

He switched off the light and left Harry to sleep away his alcoholic sorrows.

It would be a long three weeks and five days indeed. At least the floral arrangements had been chosen even the bridal party was in disrepair.

…


	13. Chapter 13

Okay, some people freaked out about Harry taking Anna to the wedding and all I can say is "Relax." Do you remember the state that Harry was in at the time? He was a bit intoxicated if my memory serves me correctly. So chill. Thanks for reading, though!

Chapter XIII

"He can't bring her! She's a muggle!" Ron looked up at his fiancée from his book of quidditch plays as she threw off her coat and dropped her bag by the door.

"Well you apparently said, 'Harry Potter and guest!' So if he chooses to bring her, it's all on you."

"Well what's she going to say about the floating candles? Or the house elves? We can't say that they're held up by string or that we dressed up little children just for the fun of it."

Hermione rolled her eyes at him. "I know that, Ron. Harry will either have to tell her…or not bring her. It's as simple as that."

Ron sat up and dropped the book. "You call that simple? Telling a Muggle about the wizarding world is simple? He better be the one getting married if that's what it's coming to."

"That's his decision."

"But he's not in for a long term commitment!"

"How do you know?" Hermione glared at him.

"Because he's in love with Ginny! It's written all over his face. She walks into a room and he's completely at her mercy. It doesn't matter how much time has passed. Nothing can change that."

"What, kind of how you're completely at my mercy?" Hermione smiled as Ron blushed. "Look, Ron, just tell him that he has to bring someone else."

Ron pouted. "You tell him."

"No. You."

"You."

"Ronald, if you want to see me walk down that aisle in a white dress, then you will tell Harry that he cannot bring Anna to the wedding."

Ron opened his mouth to argue but the thought of Hermione in a white dress silenced any sort of argument that could have formed.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Somebody was handling a jackhammer with excellent precision. When did they start doing street work? Harry was confused as he opened his eyes and realized all too quickly that the hammering was his brain reprimanding him for consuming the quantity of alcohol that he did the evening before.

"Oh dear Merlin." He held his head in his hands. "What did I do?"

"You drank all the beer that London's fine pubs had to offer."

"Anna? What are you doing here?" Harry rolled over and buried his head in his pillow, putting all effort into shutting out the light. Anna smiled and sat next to him on the bed.

"Well I received a very interesting call from you last night, Mr. Potter. I never knew that you were one for drunk-dialing."

Harry lifted his head despite the pain it caused. "Oh I didn't."

She laughed. "Oh you did."

"Anna, I'm so sorry."

"It's okay, Harry. Really, I didn't mind." She picked up a trash can and moved it next to the bed.

"Thanks, I might be needing that. When did you come over?"

"Last night. Just to make sure that you didn't die."

Harry looked next to him and sure enough, the other side of the bed had been slept in. Anna followed his eyes.

"Nothing happened, Harry."

He nodded and then grimaced. "What time is it?"

She looked at her watch. "10:30."

Harry shot up sending pillows flying. "10:30? Oh bloody hell…" He held his head again, willing the throbbing to go away.

Anna looked alarmed. "Yes. Are you late for something?"

"Yeah. I was supposed to be fitted today, for a suit."

Anna's worried look relaxed. "Oh. Well can't you do it later?"

Harry looked at her. "You don't know Hermione. She will make sure I am lying within five inches of death before she lets me be late for anything that concerns the wedding."

"Right, the wedding. I forgot she was engaged."

Suddenly Harry remembered his intention to invite Anna and decided that now, if at all, was not the right time. He rubbed his temples. "I need a po-"

He stopped himself.

Anna looked at him. "What do you need? I'll get it for you."

He looked grateful but knew that there was no possible way for her to get him what he desperately needed. Unless she miraculously inherited witchly capabilities.

"I'm all right. I just need a shower and to somehow contact Hermione so she doesn't have my head. Actually, at this point, I'd give it to her. She can take it. I don't want it anymore."

Anna stood up and headed for the door. "How about you get cleaned up. I'll make you something to eat and then I'll take you to get your fitting done."

Panic seized Harry. He couldn't just bring Anna into the middle of Madam Malkin's. Sure, why not give her a tour of Diagon Alley! That sounded like a brilliant idea! All of the thinking was making Harry's head hurt more.

"Really it's fine. I'll just…ring Hermione and tell her that I probably won't make it."

Anna turned. "Oh great, so we can stay in?"

Harry inwardly groaned. He needed to politely get rid of her and for the first time since their meeting, he found himself getting highly annoyed with her persistence.

"I'll talk to Hermione."

He slowly got out of bed and headed for the bathroom as Anna headed for the kitchen. As soon as she was out of sight, he rushed back into his bedroom and opened the drawer of his nightstand. Pulling out the necessary ingredients, Harry went to work on his hangover cure. It was always handy to keep the concoction near the bed as most mornings after he had been drinking, he had no desire to roll over, let alone leave the comfort of his pillows. Harry gulped down the potion and let out a sigh. The throbbing in his head was ebbing away and the dizziness and nausea was easing up. He grabbed his towel and headed for the bathroom once again, whistling as he went.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Hermione, you have got to help me!" Harry's harsh whispers scattered ash from her fireplace.

"Harry, what's the matter? And you're late by the way! You were supposed to be here at-"

"Not now, Hermione!"

"What's wrong?" She saw him cast a glance over his shoulder, as if looking to see if someone was behind his floating head.

"It's Anna. She wants to drop me off at Madam Malkin's. She wants to stay with me! I can't just have her waltz right into Diagon Alley! I can't have her with me all time! I can't!"

Hermione bit back her smile. "It sounds like someone is having commitment issues."

"Well I didn't know that when I was agreeing to dinner, I was being committed!"

She laughed. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better now that my insides are aren't trying to squirm their way out." He ran a hand through his hair, wet from the shower. "How am I going to get rid of her?"

"You could just floo here now and leave her there."

"I can't do that."

Hermione shrugged. "I know. It was just a thought."

"Oh, I hear her. Gotta run. I'll be there as soon as I can."

And he disappeared. Hermione sighed. At least they wouldn't have to worry about Harry bringing Anna to the wedding. Before she could turn and leave the room, Harry's voice interrupted her internal musings.

"Psst."

She spun around. "What now?"

"Get me a date for the wedding! I am not showing up alone with her there!"

Hermione rolled her eyes, assuming that the aforementioned "her" was Ginny. "Oh be the bigger person, Harry."

He gave a lopsided grin and arched his eyebrows. "Never."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"You almost ready to go?"

Anna approached Harry and he internally cringed. He loved spending time with this girl, but it was rapidly dawning on him that his life was not compatible with hers. The timing of that realization might have had something to do with the sudden appearance of a certain red head but he told himself that he was coming to this conclusion all on his own. He, of course, was lying.

"Uh, you know what, Anna? I think I'm just going to head out…myself. I have some things to take care of at the office that I forgot about and I don't want to hold you up."

"Oh. Okay. Not a problem. I guess I'll meet up with you later then."

Harry could tell she was trying to hide her disappointment and he felt the slightest pang of guilt for leaving her. He had been doing a lot of that lately.

"I'll talk to you later?"

She nodded. He kissed her quickly on the lips and led her to the door.

"Bye, Harry."

"Bye." He shut the door and rushed to the fireplace, throwing the powder in, and calling out Hermione and Ron's flat. He tumbled out moments later, feeling nauseated all over again. Hermione helped him up and brushed him off.

"You got rid of her a lot quicker than I thought you were going to."

"Just mention work related stuff and you're good to go."

"Oh I see. Well come on. Madam Malkin is waiting for us."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Oh joy. How I've missed the old bat."

"Be nice, or else she'll turn you into a human pin cushion."

Hermione poked him in the ribs as Harry scrunched up his nose at the idea.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The shop was as musty as ever. Harry coughed when he entered and waved the dust out of his face.

"Come on. To the back."

Hermione took him by the arm and weaved him through the racks of robes and fabrics. She halted suddenly causing Harry, who was still rubbing dust out of his eyes, to run into her.

"Oh."

"What? What's 'oh?" Harry squinted, putting his glasses back on and followed Hermione's gaze.

"Oh."

There stood Ginny, on Madam Malkin's fitting platform, a light colored dress perfectly fitting her body. Hermione casually reached under Harry's chin and closed his mouth.

"Don't stare." She whispered.

"I can't help it," he breathed.

Ginny's eyes locked on Harry and she inhaled, unconsciously smoothing down the front of her dress. Mrs. Weasley spied Hermione and bustled her way over.

"Oh good, dear, you made it. Oh Harry! Good to see you." She threw a glance back to Ginny which didn't go unnoticed by Harry. Ginny carefully avoided eye contact with the latter.

Hermione cleared her throat. "We had an appointment at 10, but someone slept in." She elbowed Harry in the side and he slightly doubled over.

"Well no problem. Madam Malkin is almost finished with Ginny, and then Harry can jump up there." Mrs. Weasley moved aside and Hermione got a good look at Ginny.

"Ginny, you look wonderful!" Hermione bounced over to the girl. "How is it? Do you like it? Are you comfortable?"

Ginny couldn't help but smile at Hermione's enthusiasm. "Yes I'm fine. And I love it." Her eyes flicked to Harry before returning to Hermione. He remained at a distance, his eyes never leaving her. "Can I get down yet?"

Madam Malkin shook her head at her, her mouth full of pins. Mrs. Weasley translated.

"Just a few more minutes, Ginny, darling."

"But, Mum, I've been standing up here for ages."

"Oh don't be dramatic."

Madam Malkin clapped her hands and held them up, indicating that she was done and Ginny heaved a sigh of relief. She took two steps toward the edge of the platform before her feet got tripped up in the pinned fabric of her dress. She began to fall forward and she braced herself for a nasty fall. But before she knew it, she was being held in strong arms and she opened the eyes that she had closed to find herself holding tight to Harry Potter's shirt.

"Are you all right?"

She nodded.

"Goodness, Ginny! You could have hurt yourself." Mrs. Weasley hurried over to where Harry was standing with Ginny scooped up in his arms.

"I'm fine, Mum." Her voice was small and she was beginning to shake. She didn't know if it was from the fall or from something else. "You can put me down now, Harry."

"Oh. Right. Sorry." He gently placed her on her feet. "Good?"

She made sure she had her balance. "Good." Upon knowing that she was upright and stable, he removed his hands from her waist.

She raised her chin but her eyes never met his as she muttered a "thank you" and picked up her dress. She tiptoed the rest of the way to the fitting room, her hem pulled up around her ankles to avoid anymore damsel in distress situations. Harry watched her go.

"Your turn."

"Huh?" Harry turned once Ginny had disappeared and looked at Hermione's expectant face.

"Harry, it's your turn."

"Oh, right." He took the dress robes from Madam Malkin and headed into the wizards' fitting room. It was outfitted much like the witches' dressing room and he couldn't help but think about all that had happened in that tiny space over the years.

"_Harry-" She was cut off as he bent down and caught her lips with his._ _He felt her lean into him as her hand slid up into his hair, pulling him in closer. He obliged by sliding his arm around her waist._ _ As quickly as the moment came, it disappeared. She pushed him away, bringing her fingers to her lips._

"_I'm sorry, Harry. I'm so…I shouldn't have done that."_

Sighing, he looked at himself in the mirror. Other than the slightly long sleeves and pant legs, the robes didn't look half bad on him. He opened the door and bumped into Ginny on her way out of the witches' dressing room.

"Oh sorry."

"My fault." Harry backed up and let her pass. She brushed by him, dress slung over her arm. She handed the silk garment to Madam Malkin who promised to have it back within the week.

Ginny signaled to her mother than she was ready to go.

"Well we're off to look at some apartments and then we're meeting Ron for lunch. Would you care to join?"

Hermione glanced at Harry as both he and Ginny stared at the ground. "Um, if we're finished here in time, we'd love to join you for lunch."

Mrs. Weasley clapped her hands. "Excellent." Mother and daughter turned and headed for the door. Once they were gone, Hermione sighed and turned to Harry.

"Well Mrs. Weasley's in top form."

Harry frowned at her. "What do you mean?"

"One minute she's trying to hide you and Ginny from each other and the next she's trying to make a son-in-law out of you."

His eyes widened ever so slightly. "It's just lunch. With the family. I would hardly call that a date."

Hermione eyed him. "Sure. Just you wait. It'll be your wedding I'll be attending next."

Harry forced himself to laugh but he couldn't help the way his insides flipped at the mention of his marrying Ginny.

"Now up you go." She pushed him towards the platform and to Madam Malkin's pin-filled hands.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The fitting had lasted longer than Harry had desired but it got him out of what most likely would have been a very uncomfortable meal so he was grateful that Madam Malkin was bad at her job. Hermione and Harry met up with Ron on his way back from lunch with his mother and sister and Hermione proceeded to drag the two boys all over the city in search of the perfect cake.

"She's a monster!"

"Harry, she can't be all that bad."

Hermione snorted.

"Ron, she almost took my arm off with those bloody pins! You're lucky you're going to have a best man with all of his limbs intact!"

Ron laughed as Hermione gasped and pointed to the frosting covered confection in the window.

"How about that one!"

"'Mione, you realize that my mother is going to insist on baking the cake."

Hermione twisted the ring on her finger. "But Ron, I wouldn't want to cause your mother unneeded stress. I wouldn't want to burden her with a whole cake."

The boys looked at each other. "You just want a big, professional, perfect cake."

Hermione stopped playing with her ring. "Yes! And what's so wrong with that? A girl only gets married once!"

Ron leaned in and kissed her. "Let's hope so."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Well what do you mean, you might be getting married twice?"

Ron followed Hermione a step behind her. She rolled her eyes. "Ugh, Ronald, it was a joke! I was kidding! I don't actually think I'm going to get married twice."

Harry lagged behind tuning out the conversation. After Hermione had mentioned getting married only once, she took it one step further just to test Ron, which Harry knew was a bad idea. Hell broke loose and they hadn't stopped arguing since. It began in downtown London, and they were now approaching their doorstep, still chattering away. Harry heaved a sigh as they entered their flat.

"Ron! Stop!"

He was silenced.

"I promise that I will only get married once. To you and only you."

He gave a lopsided grin. Harry walked past them. "Well thank god for that."

"What's with all the racket?"

Harry stopped dead. There stood Ginny in the doorway to her bedroom, bouncing baby Sirius in her arms. He nearly stopped breathing. She raised her eyebrows at him and he cleared his throat and looked away, realizing that he had been staring.

"Ginny, what's Sirius doing here?"

Ginny took her eyes away from Harry and looked at Hermione. "Remus and Tonks had some shopping that they had to do, no doubt a wedding present for you, and they needed a babysitter."

Ron's eyes lit up at the mention of presents. "And did they say when they would be back?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Ron, we don't get to open the presents until after the wedding."

His face fell. "All right."

Ginny grinned and Sirius gurgled. Harry walked a bit closer, unsure of how close Ginny would allow him, and held out his hand to Sirius. The baby latched onto his finger and held tight before reaching out entirely for Harry, practically jumping out of Ginny's arms. Harry scooped him up and lifted him up high, smiling at him. The baby smiled back as he flew above Harry's head. Harry made broom "wooshing" noises as he flew Sirius around the room. Then he pulled him close to his chest and planted a godfatherly kiss on the top of his head.

Ginny leaned up against the doorframe, taking in the entire scene. Her eyes never left the boy and the baby. Hermione's attention flicked between the two and she glanced at Ron, sighing. He gave her a sad smile back.

It was going to take a while.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry was lying on the couch, dozing in and out of sleep, baby Sirius breathing steadily on his chest.

"Did they say when they would be back?" He asked groggily, careful not to wake the sleeping baby.

Ginny shook her head.

Ron and Hermione sat at the kitchen table, going over the wedding book for the millionth time.

"Gin, can we talk?"

"Don't start, Harry."

"But we need to talk eventually."

"Not now." She got up and stretched her legs.

"Why not?"

"Because we'll end up fighting, and then we'll end up yelling, and you have a baby who is sleeping very soundly on your chest right now and it wouldn't do well to wake him."

Harry seemed to see her point. Gently placing his hand on the back of Sirius's head and the other under his little bottom, Harry sat up, keeping the baby against his chest.

"Harry, what are you doing?"

"Shhh." He continued to get up from the couch, making no sudden movements. As he stood up straight, Sirius stirred ever so slightly, rubbing his face into Harry's shirt. Harry froze and scrunched up his noise, willing Sirius to fall back asleep. Ginny covered her mouth with her hand and once Sirius seemed to be breathing steadily again, Harry proceeded into Ron and Hermione's bedroom. Once the baby was all settled, he returned and took Ginny by the hand.

"Come with me."

"Harry, what are you doing?"

"We're talking."

"We have nothing to talk about."

"That's a lie if I've ever heard one." He pulled her into the bedroom in which she was staying, and shut the door. "Ginny, this is us. We have to talk. We have to get through this."

"Harry, I have nothing to say to you."

He ran his hand through his hair, frustrated. "Why can't you try! I've never known you to give up on anything but you're giving up on this!"

She spun on him. "You gave up on me! You left me!"

"I loved you!" His voice cracked with emotion. He turned his head away from her, biting his lip to keep it firm.

She quieted. "I stayed with you, Harry. When you couldn't remember who you were, I was right there. They didn't know how long it was going to take to get you back, but I didn't leave."

He gave a harsh, soft laugh as a tear slipped. "How long is it going to take you to forgive me?"

"You hurt me."

"I know I did! And I am practically begging for forgiveness! But you are just too damn stubborn and proud to give it!"

She broke down. "You don't deserve it!"

They stood there, across from one another, tears running down their flushed faces.

"You're right. I don't."

He turned and began to walk away but something made him turn back. "You know, I thought you were it. When I looked at you, I saw everything. I saw the rest of my life. You were all I wanted. I wanted the house, I wanted the kids, I wanted the life that I never thought I'd live to see...but I wanted you first, foremost, and more than anything. Nothing else was possible without you, and I wanted you most of all. – I still do."

He turned once more and slammed the door as Ginny sunk to the perfectly made bed, Sirius's cries in the next room breaking the silence.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"_Drop your wand." He stared at the person opposite him who held her tight against him, her arms pinned to her sides. _

_She struggled and he choked her harder. _

_He repeated again. "Drop your wand." His voice sounded low and firm but the terror he felt on the inside could not be matched on any level._

_The wand that was pressed to his wife's neck slowly moved down and jabbed her pregnant stomach._

"_You first, Mr. Potter."_

_He stared into her brown eyes as his wand clattered to the ground._

Harry shot up in bed again. The sheet stuck to his bare chest and he took deep breathes to calm his nerves. Why was he seeing this? Why were his dreams doing this to him? It was bad enough that Ginny was taken from him once, but to constantly see her threatened every time he closed his eyes was not something he liked experiencing. He rubbed his hands over his face and threw the covers off of the bed, heading for the kitchen to boil some water. Where was Ginny when he needed her? She was always good at providing midnight company.

The kettle whistled and he removed it from the stove. He sighed and plopped down on his couch with a cup of tea.

There was a crackling sound and Harry's head snapped to his fireplace. Hermione's face appeared a moment later.

"Harry! Oh there you are! What are you doing up at this hour? Whatever, it doesn't matter, you have to come now."

"Why? What's going on?" Harry sprung up, his tea forgotten on the table. Hermione looked hesitant as she bit her lip.

"It's Ginny. She's at St. Mungo's. She collapsed."

Harry was in his bedroom pulling on clothes before Hermione could finish telling him what happened.

"Is she all right!" He called from the bedroom.

"I'm not sure. They don't know what caused it. Ron found her. I had to contact Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and you…She was asking for you, as she was waking up."

Harry reappeared fully clothed and stared at Hermione's face. She could see the hope that he hid behind his eyes. He hid it well, just not well enough.

"All right, out of the way. Tell her I'm coming."

…


	14. Chapter 14

Hello everyone! You will be happy to know that I now have a new (working) computer so things should be running smoothly from here on out. Unless of course I get the ever popular term paper, final exam, just plain old nasty professor out for a personal vendetta. Okay, enough with the rambling. You've been waiting long enough…oh and review. Now I'm done.

Chapter XIV

Harry tumbled through the white walls of St. Mungo's, stopping only briefly to gain his bearings.

"Harry, wait!" Hermione struggled to keep up but once his eyes landed on the portly welcome witch, there was no catching him.

He skidded to a stop in front of her desk as she chatted obliviously with a coworker about the latest gossip. Harry drummed his fingers impatiently but the witch plowed on undeterred. He cleared his throat rather loudly but that produced meager results as the witch distractedly held up a finger in his direction. Finally, Harry slammed his hand on the desk causing Hermione to jump beside him.

"Excuse me! I don't mean to interrupt or anything, but I'm looking for a patient."

The witch turned, quite prepared to tell him to wait one more moment, but halted when she saw to whom she was speaking.

"Oh Mr. Potter! Of course! I do apologize!"

Harry rolled his eyes as she hurriedly flicked her wand through some files, making the desk tidy. At least his fame was good for some things.

"I'm looking for Ginny Weasley."

The witch gave him a knowing smile. "Of course you are."

Harry looked at Hermione in confusion. She shrugged in return.

"Ms. Weasley is in room 203."

Harry became flushed again. "203? The second floor? Are you trying to tell me that she has some magical bug of some sort?" His voice rose drawing the attention of others in the lobby.

"Harry." Hermione placed her hand on his arm. The welcome witch pursed her lips yet remained annoyingly cheery.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Potter. You'll have to speak to Ms. Weasley's healer. I'm not at liberty to hand out that information."

Harry was positively crimson now. "Not at liberty."

"Harry."

"You're not at liberty?"

"Harry, let's go!" Hermione gave a firm tub on his arm and dragged him toward the lifts. He slammed the button so hard, Hermione wondered if the doors would even open. He inhaled deeply and the flush gradually left his cheeks.

"You have got to control yourself when it comes to her." Hermione looked at him out of the corner of her eye.

Harry nodded absentmindedly. "I know."

The doors opened and Harry was down the hall before Hermione had even exited the lift. He spotted Ron and ran up to him. Hermione followed, huffing, trying to get air into her angry lungs. Ron smiled at the sight of his fiancée.

"Well, I said I'd get him here as fast as I could."

Ron looked at his watch. "You could've shaved a few seconds off…" At Hermione's glare, he wisely stopped speaking.

"Where is she? Is she okay?"

Both had almost forgotten the distraught young man beside them, trying to catch a glimpse as the Healer opened and closed the door. Ron looked at Harry's worried face and nodded.

"She's fine. She was just too stressed. Her body wasn't ready to handle it yet."

All color drained from Harry's face and his green eyes dimmed. He finally looked at Ron. Anyone within a five block radius of his and Hermione's flat earlier that evening would have had no trouble guessing the cause of Ginny's high stress levels. Ron, sensing Harry's rapidly increasing guilt trip, quickly interjected.

"But she's fine. They're just gonna keep her overnight. As a precaution."

Harry nodded, barely registering the words.

"Can I see her?"

Ron glanced at closed door behind him.

"Yeah just…don't upset her."

Harry swiftly inhaled at his friend's words. Hermione's hand on his back did nothing to comfort him.

"I won't." He cleared his dry throat as Ron let him pass. Opening the door, he saw Mrs. Weasley knitting a sweater and gently humming a song to her sleeping daughter. On hearing the creak of the hinges, the humming stopped but the knitting continued. Mrs. Weasley gave him a warm smile, but she failed to hide the sadness behind it. She stood, freeing up the seat next to the bed and squeezed his shoulder as she passed him. The door clicked shut.

Harry took slow, cautious steps toward the bed, finally allowing his eyes to rest on her. He sat in the hard seat and leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees to get a better look. It wasn't until that moment that he noticed just how pale and thin she was. She was a shadow of the athletic girl he once knew. Sure, the hospital had kept her nutrition levels up when she was there but those were meager helpings compared to Hogwarts or the Burrow. Her freckles were a sharp contrast to her porcelain skin and her fiery hair framed her face delicately. A single strand fell across her forehead and it took everything Harry had in him not to reach across an brush it away. She began to stir and he held his breath, but she merely turned her head, becoming still again.

There was a soft knock on the door and Ron poked his head in.

"Harry, let's go home. She'll probably sleep the rest of the night and you could do with some rest as well."

Harry shook his head, his eyes never leaving her. "She was asking for me. I'm not going to let her wake up and have me not be here again."

Ron sighed and looked between the two. "I'll get you a pillows."

Harry smiled gratefully. "Thanks." Despite the awkwardness and the bickering, Ron and Harry seemed to have a mutual understanding when it came to the women in their lives.

Ron returned a moment later and tossed the pillow at Harry's head. He barely caught it as it knocked his glasses sideways. Ron grinned. "Sleep well.'

Harry glanced at the hard chair he sat on. "Oh I'm sure I will." He gave Ron one last bitter smile before he closed the door and left. Harry stuffed the pillow behind him and leaned back, twisting and turning, in an attempt to get comfortable. Deciding that comfort was not his to have, he sat up and watched over her.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A soft groan elicited from her lips as she slowly blinked the sleep away from her eyes. This wasn't Ron and Hermione's flat. She wasn't in her clothes from the night before. What happened the night before? She didn't remember changing into pajamas. Did Ron slip her firewhiskey again? She cracked a grin at the memory. She never was good on her feet when alcohol weaved its way through her system.

Movement to her right drew her attention. Harry. That's what happened the night before. She let out a louder groan and attempted to sit up. She hated the stiffness she still felt after sleeping. Tossing the covers off, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and gasped as her toes connected with the icy floor. _St. Mungo's really needs to invest in carpets._ She held onto the side until she was sure her legs would support her. Then she slowly made her way over to the sleeping boy. As she neared, it occurred to her that he was no longer a boy. Harry had grown up. His face was more defined, his shoulders broader, and she couldn't see it now, but there was something in his eyes whenever he thought no one was watching. She stared as him a bit longer and sighed. Reaching forward, she let her hand hover over his face for a moment before she gently removed his glasses and placed them on the side table.

"Goodnight, Harry."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Harry!"

The young man sprung awake, causing him to awkwardly slide off of the seat in which he slept.

"Huh?" He squinted at the man that stood above him.

"It's 7:30. Time to go to work."

He was handed his glasses and Remus came into focus. Harry groaned.

"No. Five more minutes." He rolled over on the floor and curled back up into a ball. Remus rolled his eyes and, grabbing a glass of water off of the side table, he dumped it on Harry's head. He yelped and jumped into a sitting position.

"I'm up! I'm up!" Harry cleared his throat and shook the excess water from his hair. He finally remembered where he was and his eyes immediately searched out the bed. "Where's Ginny?"

"Physical therapy session."

"Oh. Where'd you get my glasses? I don't remember taking them off."

Remus pointed to the side table. "They were over there. Maybe someone took them off for you."

Harry couldn't explain it, but his heartbeat quickened for a moment. Noticing his faraway look, Remus hustled Harry out the door.

"Come on. We better get moving. I hear Moody's already on the warpath."

Harry felt his stomach drop. "Brilliant."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Mum, I'm fine!" Ginny threw her shirt over her head and pulled her arms through the sleeves.

"Ready yet?" Ron strode into the room but stopped when Ginny screeched.

"Ron! Don't you ever knock?" She spun around and quickly pulled the rest of the shirt down.

He turned beet red and mumbled something incoherently before attempting to find the door handle again with his eyes glued to his shoes. Mrs. Weasley opened the door and shooed him out. Ginny pulled her hair out from under the shirt and sighed.

"You'd think that after living with me for 18 out of 20 years, they'd have learned some manners…Although I did enjoy the look of pure horror on his face."

Mrs. Weasley did her best not to smile. Worry took care of that. "Now, dear, you're sure you're feeling fit? Because you know that nice healer said that they could keep you here just one more day."

Ginny snorted. "Over my dead body." She saw how her mother stiffened. "Oh mum, I didn't mean it like that. I'm sorry."

Mrs. Weasley nodded and forced a smile. "Well we best get you out of here. If I know my future daughter-in-law at all, I'd say that she's already waiting for you at home so she can take you gown shopping."

Ginny froze in her packing. "You know what, Mum? I am feeling a bit faint. I think I should stay here one more night…just to be safe."

"Up Ginevra."

Ginny grumbled, hating the use of her real name.

"Yes, mother."

Thoughts of the wedding turned to thoughts of Harry, and the memory of him sleeping by her bedside stayed with her for the rest of the day.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"What's this?"

Harry picked up the file that Tonks had just thrown on his desk as she put a silencing spell on his office.

"A new lead on the guy who's taken up Malfoy's position." She flopped down in the chair across from him.

Harry raised his eyebrow at her. "And how can you be so sure that he's a guy?"

She grinned back at him. "Because a woman wouldn't be stupid enough to allow us a lead at all."

Harry ran his hand through his hair and yawned. "He, she, whatever doesn't leave us anything. It's getting quite annoying actually. And you don't think the ministry should know about this?" He said, pointing to the now sound proof door.

She laughed. "Oh please. The minister has his head so far up his own arse that the department is too busy trying to pull it out for him."

Harry smiled and flipped the file open. "I'll take a look at it." Noticing that she didn't make a move to leave, he looked up again. "Was there something else you wanted to talk about?" She was smiling. That was never a good sign.

"Nope. Just heard about your sleeping arrangements last night, that's all."

He looked at her wide eyed. "You came here to gossip?"

"Nooo. I came here to give you that file. I was hoping that gossip would be my tip for being such a good helper." She smiled sweetly. Harry groaned.

"Why can't anyone leave me in peace?" He realized that peace was not what he was going to get as Tonks gave him a pointed look. "I was just making sure that she was ok. That's all. And you and Remus need to stop using me as a topic of discussion!"

"Oh but it's so much fun."

"Leave me alone."

Tonks laughed and stood to get up. "You know I'm only playing, Harry. Oh and Ron flooed earlier. He said he's taking you with him for his dress robe fitting whether you want to go or not. I believe those were his exact words. He said a few more but I decided to leave them out of civilized conversation."

Harry grimaced. "I already went through one fitting. Why do I have to do another?" The thought of Madam Malkin greeting him with pin-filled arms made him involuntarily shudder.

She opened the door. "Oh don't whine, Harry. It's not becoming on the savior of the wizarding world."

"I hate you."

"You love me." And she was gone. Harry smiled despite himself. Tonks had become a sister to him ever since she and Remus had gotten married. When Hermione was too busy with Ron, he went to her for advice. He sighed as he looked at the file in front of him.

"Death Eater Number 585," he read.

_Where are you?_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hermione paced impatiently up and down the short length of her flat and mentally went over the checklist that was burned into her brain.

Flowers, check. Cake, check. Groom, check. Gown…Hermione stopped. _Oh dear._

The front door opened and Ginny huffed her way through the door. Curse the doctor for not letting her take the floo. The stairs put much more strain on her body than the slight dizzy spell that the fireplace would have caused.

"Oh Ginny! I'm so happy you're back!"

"I bet you are." Ginny grumbled. Ron followed closely behind and dropped her bag off in her room before returning to find Hermione struggling to form sentences.

"You know, Ginny…Well, I was thinking…I mean, if you're not too tired…"

"Oh 'Mione, don't tip toe around it. You want Ginny to go dress shopping with you even though she's just gotten back from the hospital and you're not sure if she's up for it, but for your own selfish reasons, you want her to go anyway."

Hermione stared at him with her mouth open. "Ron...How…I…Yes." She hung her head.

Ginny snorted with laughter. As much as she didn't want to go, the scene that had just played itself out was far too entertaining and Hermione looked far too pathetic for her to not do anything about it.

"Let me get my coat and we can go."

Hermione's eyes lit up. "Oh thank you!"

Ginny held up her hand and silenced Hermione's giddiness. "On one condition. I help you find a dress, you help me find a date."

"Now wait a minute." Ron stepped forward.

"Ron," Hermione snapped. He stopped protesting and Hermione took Ginny's hands. "Of course I'll help."

"Thank you. Now we can go."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ron knocked on the door to Harry's office and opened it when he heard a muffled "Come in."

"Hey mate. You ready?"

"Yeah give me a minute." Harry stacked a few more files on his desk before grabbing his coat and stiffly putting it on.

"Sore?"

Harry glared at him.

"I told you that chair was a bad idea."

"Yeah yeah." Harry grabbed his keys and his briefcase and opened the door for Ron. "Let's get this over with."

They walked to the fireplaces in relative silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Ron kept sneaking sideways glances at Harry, trying to read him.

"How's Ginny?"

Ron had been so distracted that the question made him jump.

"Oh. She's good. Hermione's already got her out dress shopping."

Harry stopped walking. "Is that the best idea? I mean, what if she collapses again?"

"She knows to take it easy." Ron reached out and grabbed the floo powder. "Any word on Number 585?

Immediately Harry's shoulders tensed. "Still a bloody mystery."

Ron cleared his throat, knowing this case was frustrating for Harry. "Well not to worry, mate. Madam Malkin will be just the thing to distract you."

Harry screwed up his face. "Yeah. Fantastic."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ginny drummed her fingers on the arm of her chair and glanced at the clock on the wall. They had been there for almost three hours and she could have sworn that Hermione had tried on every dress in the place. The muggle owner was a sweet older woman who kept offering Ginny cheese, crackers, and champagne. She certainly didn't say no. By the time Hermione came out with what must have been her 50th dress, Ginny was semi-crocked on bubbly.

"What do you think?" Hermione spun around and Ginny took a good look at her, with semi-glazed eyes.

"Hmm."

Immediately Hermione's shoulders fell. "I know, I completely agree."

Ginny frowned at her. "But I didn't say anything!"

"No. You did. It was enough for me. Trust me, we'll know the right one. I have one more back here that I want to try and then we'll go."

As Hermione disappeared behind the curtain, Ginny sighed and slumped into her chair, cheesing another cracker. The fizz floating around in her brain allowed her mind to wander to thoughts of her own wedding day. A smile spread across her face. She could see it perfectly. Immediately the smile faded. She couldn't see her groom. Before she had always pictured Harry, standing at the front, decked out in his finest dress robes and now, she wasn't sure whom she'd be walking towards. The thought unnerved her but Hermione's announcement that she was coming out woke her up. The curtain was pulled back and the bride walked out.

Ginny's jaw dropped and the cracker fell from her hand. "Oh Hermione."

Hermione broke out into the biggest smile her face would allow. "Really?" She spun around and Ginny took in the whole thing.

Ginny put her hand to her mouth. "Really. You look…" She didn't even know how to describe how beautiful her future sister-in-law looked.

Hermione squealed and ran over to her, embracing her.

"My brother is a very lucky man."

Hermione laughed. "Yeah, well we'll just have to make sure that he's getting proper dress robes." Hermione's smile faded. "Oh god, he's doing that today! What if he messes it up! I can't go over there I have to get the dress and then pick out the menu!"

Ginny grabbed both of Hermione's flailing hands. "Relax. I'll go."

"You? You'll go?"

"Sure. What are maids-of-honor for?"

Hermione hugged her again. "Oh thank you! Thank you!"

Ginny waved her off. "Now go get changed before you ruin that gorgeous dress. I'll meet you back at home. Oh I forgot to tell you, Mom and I made an offer on an apartment the other day."

Hermione spun so quickly she almost fell over. "What?"

"Mum and I made an offer. On an apartment. We're supposed to hear back either today or tomorrow."

"But Ginny, what about - "

"Rent? Yeah, Mum and Dad have offered to cover the first month until I get a job. Then I'll pay them back."

Hermione looked at her fondly. "Our little Ginny is growing up."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Oh please you sound like Mum."

Hermione laughed. "You know, that's not such a bad thing. And your interview with the Ministry is…?"

"Friday."

Hermione nodded. "Well good luck with everything."

"You're wishing me luck as if you're never going to see me again."

Hermione smiled. "Sorry. It's just that with the wedding and everything, I feel like I haven't been paying attention to anyone else."

Ginny returned the smile. "Don't worry about it. You're doing your best."

Hermione looked down and realized what she was still wearing. "Oh gosh, you better get over to Madam Malkin's! Merlin knows what Ron picked out!"

Ginny laughed and hurried out the door.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"_Drop your wand." He stared at the person opposite him who held her tight against him, her arms pinned to her sides._

_She struggled and he choked her harder._

_He repeated again. "Drop your wand." His voice sounded low and firm but the terror he felt on the inside could not be matched on any level._

_The wand that was pressed to his wife's neck slowly moved down and jabbed her pregnant stomach._

"_You first, Mr. Potter."_

_He stared into her brown eyes as his wand clattered to the ground._

"Harry!"

The young man jumped in his chair and blearily looked around at his surroundings. Ron stood above him staring worriedly at him. Harry touched his hot forehead and wiped the cold sweat away. He shifted in his chair and refused to meet Ron's eyes again.

"You all right, mate?" Ron stood in his dress robes, pins hanging from the sleeves and hem of the bottom.

Harry cleared his throat and rubbed his face with shaky hands. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Ron looked at him skeptically. "You sure? That must have been one hell of a nap."

Harry nodded. Ron stared at him a moment longer before turning to mount the podium again. He took two steps before something made him stop. "Oh. What are you doing here?"

Harry finally looked up to see Ginny standing not far off from the platform. She didn't look at Ron when he addressed her. Her eyes remained on the dark haired boy.

"Harry?"

All she had to say was his name and a thousand things passed between them. She saw surprise, love, pain, and hurt cross his face all in a moment. She blinked and it was gone. He gave her a tight smile, the question she wanted to ask implied.

"I'm all right, Gin."

She felt lighter at the use of her nickname. He wanted to reach out and touch her, just to make sure she was real and safe. His dream did nothing to quell his fears. She felt his gaze search her body for any remaining injuries but she didn't feel exposed under his scrutiny. She let him inspect her, if it gave him peace. She knew that the dream was probably about her, with the way that he was treating her and without doing so directly, she wanted to help him in any way she could. Even if he had broken her heart. Twice.

"Excuse me, Madam Malkin?" The older woman looked up, her mouth full of pins. "Do you have any water?"

Madam Malkin nodded vigorously and pointed towards the back of the store. Ginny retreated for a moment before returning with a glass of water and a cold wet cloth. Harry looked up at her with a surprised expression as she handed him the glass and set the cloth behind his neck.

"Thank you." It was so quiet she could barely hear it. She nodded in return. His eyes haunted her and she needed to turn away before she got lost in them.

"Ginny, you never answered my question. What are you doing here?"

"Huh? Oh Hermione sent me over to make sure you were picking out the right dress robes." She moved closer to her brother to investigate. "Hm, not bad. I suppose they'll do." She winked at Madam Malkin to let her know that she was having Ron on. The older woman would have smiled in return if her mouth weren't filled with metal.

"Not bad? Do you know how long it took me to pick these out? They better be 'not bad!"

Harry raised a shaky hand. "I can vouch for how long it took. Bloody eternity."

Ginny smiled and turned back to her brother. "See Ron, that's why you need Hermione."

The red head smiled. "Don't I know it."

Ginny eyed the garments one more time before she casually made her way back to Harry.

"Better?"

He nodded. "Yeah, thanks."

She cleared her throat, knowing she was pushing it. "You wanna talk about it?"

He smiled, a million memories of late nights at kitchen tables coming back to him. "Not right now."

"Okay." She understood. That was how Harry was. If he wanted to talk, he would come to her when the time was right. Then again, there were times when she had to coax things out of him. He had the tendency bury it inside, letting it slowly eat him away. She quickly looked down, realizing that she'd been staring and picked up a magazine. Her inner monologue was quickly interrupted as Hermione burst through the door.

"Hermione?" Ron tried to turn on the platform but Madam Malkin held him in place.

Ginny looked up from her magazine. "Hermione, I thought you were looking at menus."

Ron suddenly looked indignant. "Without me?"

Hermione waved a hand in his direction. "Nevermind that! Ginny, I've found you a perfect date for the wedding!" Then, finally seeing Harry in the chair just down from Ginny, Hermione's face froze.

"Oh."

…


	15. Chapter 15

I sincerely apologize for the delay. A move abroad for six months has prompted some frenzied packing and panic at things forgotten. Not to mention the extravagant workload I received upon arrival. (It's going to be a fun semester). Anyway, I really am sorry. I'll try to keep up. Bear with me.

Chapter XV

Time had stopped. Ginny stared at Hermione, refusing to look anywhere to her right, to the boy with dark hair and a telling scar. Hermione still stood with her eyes wide, flicking back and forth between Ginny and Harry. Ron was obliviously admiring his new sleeves.

"Wait, Hermione, what'd you say?"

She looked down and quietly muttered, "Nothing, Ron."

Ginny broke eye contact with her and looked at her shoes. Harry cleared his throat and stood up. Ginny went to say something to him but nothing came out.

"I better go. I've a – got a case to work on." He walked over to Ron and clapped him on the back. "I think you can handle it from here."

"Yeah thanks, mate." Ron watched him leave before turning to the girls. "So you really went to get the menu without me?"

Hermione looked apologetically at Ginny who covered her face with her hands and sunk further into her chair.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry slammed into the Auror department and marched down the hallways. His colleagues wisely stepped out of his path as he made his way towards his office. Passing his secretary, he barely gave her a glance as he barked her name.

"I need to see Remus Lupin."

Without bothering to look to see if she had heard him, he banged the door open and loudly shut it behind him. He slumped down so hard into his chair that it rolled backwards a few feet. Pressing his finger to his throbbing temple he paused a minute before yelling for his secretary again.

"Lupin! Now!"

His door opened a moment later and Remus stood in the doorway, with Harry's flushed secretary behind him.

"Now, now, Harry. No need to yell." Remus sat down in the chair across from Harry. "So tell me, what buggered up your arse today?"

Harry glared at him but Remus's smiled remained fixed on his face.

"I need you to call a meeting."

"For the Order?"

Harry waved his wand and without a word, a silencing charm was placed on his office.

"Yes."

"What for? We have no new information."

Harry pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes in frustration. "Half of them don't know about Number 585! I don't know about you, but I don't think it's the wisest decision to start off this case with half of our team in the dark."

Lupin leaned forward in an attempt to reason. "Harry, we have no new leads. The one that Tonks delivered was a dead end. We have to give it time."

"No." Harry was clenching his jaw so tightly, his head was beginning to hurt.

Lupin's brows creased in confusion as he looked at the young man across from him. "What's gotten into you? Why is this so important?"

Harry stood up, knocking his chair over. "Because I need something to do! I need – I need something to focus on that doesn't involve her!" He glanced idly at the toppled chair.

Lupin sat back and steepled his fingers. "And the penny drops."

Harry bent over and righted the chair. "I just can't do it anymore. I can't be around her anymore."

Remus sighed. "Harry, you can't avoid her forever. And now that she's returned, and now that she's old enough, any Order meeting that you call will most likely involve her."

"Merlin, I can't win." Harry slumped into the chair again.

Lupin gave the young man in front of him a calculating look. "What brought this on?"

"Nothing." Harry rubbed his hands over his face and stared at the stack of files on his desk.

"Liar. You definitely did not inherit your father's ability to spin a tale with the flick of a wand."

Harry sent a glare his way before returning his gaze to his desk. "It's just Ginny…" He trailed off.

Lupin waited for the rest and when it didn't come he snorted. "Yes I know it's Ginny. When has it never been Ginny?"

"It's just that she's getting a date for the wedding. Hermione's setting her up. Apparently she found someone _perfect._" Harry made a flourish with his arms which scattered some of his papers.

Lupin scratched his head. "Wait a moment. Weren't you telling me just the other day that you wanted a date to the wedding so that you wouldn't have to show up alone?"

Harry cleared his throat. "This is different."

"I would love to know how."

"Because this is Ginny we're talking about! She- she wakes up and then she wants a date with another guy!"

Lupin's lips curled in irony. "Don't sound so wounded, Harry. You did leave her."

Harry stood up again, but the chair remained upright. "I know I did! Mother of Merlin, how many times do I have to apologize for that?"

"So you're allowed to ask for a date but Ginny isn't?"

Harry went to answer but paused mid-thought. "That does sound pretty horrible doesn't it."

"Indeed it does, you little hypocrite. Speaking of hypocrisy, whatever happened to Anna?"

Harry glared at Lupin. "We broke up. If breaking up even applies. We weren't even dating."

"That's a shame. You could've taken her."

Harry scoffed. "Oh yeah. A muggle to a wizard wedding? I'd just as sooner invite the Dursleys." Thinking it over, Harry's face scrunched in distaste. "Nevermind, scratch that."

"You know, you could always ask…Ginny."

Harry sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "No actually, I can't. For many reasons the top two of which being that Hermione's found someone _perfect _– "

"Stop saying it like that, Harry."

" – and, oh that's right, she hates me."

"We both know that's not true."

"I need a meeting Remus."

"I can't guarantee that she won't be there."

Harry groaned. "Arrange one anyway."

Lupin stood up to leave but turned back on the young man once more. "You want her to be there don't you."

Harry stared at his desk, refusing to meet Lupin's eyes, but gave a slight nod anyway.

Lupin gave him a sad smile and opened the door. "It's the only time you two can be in a room together without throwing things at each other."

Harry sighed as Remus began to shut the door. "Don't worry, I'll take care of it."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ginny idly ran her fingers over the gold embossed letters as Hermione chased Ron down the aisles of the wizard catering business. She stared at the menu in front of her, not really taking in the words. Chicken, Salmon, Filet, Shrimp, it all looked the same to her.

"Ginny?"

The red head jumped as Hermione came up next to her, holding Ron by his sleeve.

"Ginny, I'm so sorry about earlier. If I had any idea he was there - "

"Don't worry about it, Hermione. Really. I mean, if he didn't find out now, he'd find out at the wedding, right?" She forced a laugh.

Hermione gave a nervous laugh in return. "Uh, yeah I guess you're right."

"Chicken or Salmon?"

Both girls turned to look at Ron as he held up two menus. Hermione shook her head in disgust and stalked back towards the chef.

"What'd I do?"

Ginny patted his arm. "Nothing. You're just being Ron. Thinking with your stomach instead of your brain. Now if you're really smart, you'll go chase after her."

"Right."

Ginny watched as Ron turned and hurried after his fiancée. She sighed and traced the words once again.

_Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Weasley _

She read them over and over again, the ache in her chest growing stronger with each silent repetition. She wondered if she would ever be a "Mrs."? Then again, she had her whole life ahead of her, she didn't need to be thinking about that. At least that's what she kept telling herself.

"Ginny, what do you think of a lobster quiche?"

Ginny's nose scrunched but she put on a smile before she turned to the busy bride to be.

"Sounds fantastic."

Hermione edged closer to her and casually put her arm around her. Ginny eyed her with suspicion. "So about this guy…"

"Hermione - "

"Wait, just hear me out. He's great. Tall, blonde, charming, the complete antithesis of Harry."

Ginny's feelings kicked in to the defensive. "Hey, Harry's charming!"

She shrugged. "Yeah in a brooding sort of way."

"Hermione!"

"Well he is! He broods. You can't deny that."

"Fine. But he has charm."

Ginny turned to examine the menu once more and Hermione smiled at her back.

"His name is Michael. Please give him a try. One date. If you don't like him, then don't take him to the wedding. I mean, you're free, you're single….Soooo what's holding you back?" Hermione arched a curious and knowing eyebrow at Ginny. The younger girl glared at her.

"Fine. One date. But no guarantees on the wedding."

"Thank you. Oh by the way, Harry called an Order meeting. It's tonight, at Grimmauld."

"He wants me there?"

"Well, it's not like he asked for you personally. And the notice came from Remus."

"Oh."

Ginny nodded and headed to the back to take a look at whatever was in a lobster quiche. Hermione watched her go, a whole new plan forming in her head.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ginny coughed as she entered the door of 12 Grimmauld Place. Tonks gave her a wide smile as she passed, waving the dust out of her face.

"Hiya, Ginny."

"Hey, Tonks. Do you know what this is about?"

Something was knotting up Ginny's stomach and she wasn't quite sure what it was. Tonks gave her a cautious glance, seemingly having an internal debate with herself, but she slapped that smile right back on her face before Ginny could second guess herself.

"It'll all be explained in a bit. Go on in. Your mum's baked some fantastic cookies."

Ginny nodded and headed towards the dining room. She followed Hermione at a slower pace, letting the older girl make her way towards Ron. She eyed the growing crowd as the memories perforated her mind. So many days and nights had been spent in this creaky old house, and yet she felt like a stranger inside its walls.

"Ginny!"

The young woman turned at the sound of her name to see Hermione waving her over and gesturing to a seat beside her. Ginny made her way over and eased into the chair, her eyes searching for him, and yet not wanting to give off the impression that it was him that she was looking for. A voice cleared its throat and there he was, seated at the front of the room. The last remaining people sat and the meeting began.

Little did she know that he had been watching her since the moment she step foot through the door.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Two hours later, Ginny found an escape in a quiet corner. So many thoughts, so many scenarios rushed through her head that all her body could physically do was stare at the broken wall and succumb to the mental onslaught.

"Bit heavy, in'it."

Ginny looked up to see Ron standing over her, cookie in hand.

"Yeah, a bit." Ginny returned to crumbling her own cookie into micro-sized pieces.

"You all right?"

"Mm hmm."

Ron sat beside her, causing dust to fly up from the old chair. "Seriously, Gin. I know this death eater stuff can't be easy."

"Ron, I'm fine." She dropped the crumbs by a hole in the wall and watched as a hesitant whisker peered out of the darkness. She sighed. "Why is everybody treating me like this?"

"Well you were -"

"Asleep, Ron. I was asleep."

"But…you were attacked prior to sleeping," he argued as he stuffed the cookie into his mouth.

"Fine. Just don't start treating me like…they do." She motioned to the rest of the room. "You know I'm stronger than that."

He laughed. "'Course I do. You've been able to whip me since you were strong enough to reach up and pull my hair."

She laughed. "I did do that, didn't I."

"Yeah. You play dirty." He unconsciously smoothed down his hair at the memory.

"Yeah well, since when did we have rules." She watched the nose sniff closer and closer towards the sweet.

"Point taken." He smiled at her and revealed another cookie from behind his back. "For you."

"Sharing food? Who are you and what have you done with my brother?"

"Shut up." He smiled anyway. "And please don't feed this one to the mouse. Cookies this good should not be wasted on rodents."

She gave a half salute. "Yes, sir."

As she watched Ron walk away, the smile slipped from her face. She had never been one to scare easily, but since she had returned, she had let herself slip into a false sense of security. She felt as though she were in a protective bubble where no one could touch her. Apparently, that was no longer true. There was someone out there who wanted to hurt every member of the Order down to the last remaining person, no matter how insignificant they were. That meant her. People might argue her significance but in her mind, she hadn't done much in the past two and half years except let herself get caught. She felt more vulnerable than she had in a long time and even more so like a stranger among the people that talked strategy around her. Ron had been right. Everyone had been right.

She wasn't ready.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hermione sipped the drink in her hand and stared across the room at the young man deep in conversation with higher members of the Order.

"Hey."

She jumped and turned to her fiancé who grinned and bit into another cookie.

"You do realize that you've been drinking out of that cup for the past ten minutes and it hasn't had anything in it for at least five."

She smiled sheepishly and set the cup down. "I just feel so awful."

"'Bout what?" A few crumbs slipped from his mouth and onto his sweater.

"Oh honestly, Ron." She brushed him off and went back to staring at Harry.

"Nothing. I just did something I probably should not have done earlier."

"Oh. Well, I'm sure Harry'll forgive you. He always does."

She looked uneasily at Harry. "Uh huh."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Harry, we have to take special precautions to keep everyone safe."

Harry lifted his eyes from the drink in his hand and looked at Lupin. "Haven't we been trying to do that for the better part of five years?"

"Not to this extent. We have no idea who this person is. He –

"Or she," Tonks chimed in.

"-could be in this very room." Lupin sent a look in Tonk's direction as he continued. Tonks took the hint and wandered off.

Harry raised his eyebrows at his old professor. "Seriously? Headquarters? They might get into the Ministry, they might get into my apartment, they might get into…the Burrow, but certainly not Headquarters." Harry's voice faltered in the last statement.

"You never know, Harry. We have to be careful."

"Of course, Remus." Harry returned to staring at his drink.

"I have to go check on Sirius."

Harry's head shot up as the name echoed in his ears. Of course, it seemed only appropriate that Lupin name his first son after his best friend. Since Harry seemed to have already laid claim to the name James, Sirius was the next obvious choice. It still stung when they talked of a man who had been gone for half a decade but whose passing Harry still felt like it was yesterday.

"Where is Sirius?"

Remus paused and regarded the room before turning to Harry.

"You know, I haven't the slightest." His eyes scanned the room again.

"Bravo. You've lost your son."

Remus glared in Harry's direction. "I haven't lost him. I've just misplaced him. Ah, there he is!"

Harry's eyes followed Remus's pointed finger over to where Hermione was passing off Sirius into Ginny's arms.

Harry cleared his throat and indicated to his drink. "I'll be right back."

Remus nodded and watched as Harry made his way over to a bowl and poured himself some more of the green liquid. He watched as Harry pulled out a piece of paper from his back pocket and scanned its contents. The paper was worn, creased, and dirty. It had been studied over and over again, its words tormenting the young man in front of him. Lupin walked closer to get a better look. The parchment was full of lists. Names, dates, places. "Number 585" was scrawled across the top. Words had been scratched out, lines had been drawn between the columns connecting date with place, name with date. Remus squinted at the paper and then at the tense shoulders of the young man in front of him.

"Harry?"

Harry jumped and crumpled the piece of paper back up, shoving it into his pocket.

"Harry, what are you doing?"

"Nothing." He tried to walk away but Remus caught him by the shoulder.

"Harry, you cannot waste your life on this."

"I'm not! You don't know what you're talking about."

"Harry - "

"Don't you get it?" A hush fell over the room as Harry rounded on Remus. "If I don't stop this now, it will never end. I don't know about you, but I don't want to be looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life. I don't my children to have to worry about the mistakes that their father made. Do want that for Sirius? Do you want him to triple lock the doors at night and sleep with his wand under his pillow? Because that's what I do, every night, terrified that this Number 585 could end up being the next Voldemort and that everything we did, everyone we lost, was for nothing. No, Remus, I don't think I'm wasting my life."

Harry set down his drink and walked out of the room as all eyes watched him go. Remus made a move to follow but Molly's hand on his arm stayed him. Ron, too, kept Hermione from setting after Harry.

"Give him time."

She shook her head. "That's all we do is give him time."

Ron tried to say something else but nothing else came. If time was what Harry needed, then they would give it to him. But Ron really did wonder if Harry would ever realize that he couldn't do this alone.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry slammed into the old bedroom and slowly leaned up against the closed door. He inhaled deeply and exhaled loudly. Giving his face a quick rub, he opened his eyes to find that he was not alone in the room.

"Oh."

"Hi." Ginny slowly sat up from her curled up position on the bed.

"Sorry, I didn't realize…"

"No, it's okay. I mean, it's your house." She swung her legs over the side of the bed and tied her shoes back up.

"You don't have to go."

"Well, I should be getting back and you look as though you could use a minute to yourself." She stood across from him as he slowly nodded and stared at his feet. "You all right?"

"What? Oh yeah, I'm fine."

She sat down on the bed again and studied him.

"I heard some shouting downstairs."

"Oh." He stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Yeah, that…might have been me."

She smiled. "I figured as much. What were you shouting about?"

"Nothing of much importance."

"Sure. And even if it was, everyone else was down there so everyone else heard. I am left up here, once again, clueless." She smiled again to let him on to her levity.

He sat down on the opposite side of the bed, facing away from her. "That's probably for the best."

Her smiled faded. "Harry, please don't shut me out. Everyone else does. I don't need you to, also. Let me help."

"Ginny, I've been without you for almost two and a half years. I can manage a bit longer."

Ginny's chest hurt and she stood up as if stung from the bed. She began to turn towards Harry but instead she headed for the door.

"For whatever it's worth, I'm sorry about this afternoon."

"Ginny, what you do or what Hermione does for you is of no concern of mine. I don't need an apology."

Ginny nodded. "Right, sorry. Well anyway. I hope your dreams get better, whatever they are."

She opened the door as he nodded. "Thanks."

She watched him put his head in his hands. She stood at the doorway, eyeing him. He looked so lost, so helpless, so…tired. She took one step back into the room

"You aren't going to tell me, are you."

He shook his head.

"We used to - "

"I know." He stared at the wall.

"Are you ever going to tell anyone? Because keeping it bottled up is not going to help, I hope you know that."

He looked at her. "No I'm not going to tell anyone because, if it comes true…I'll never forgive myself."

She stared into his desperate eyes for a moment and she saw something there that haunted her. She saw what that dream had done to him. It was only there when he looked at her. She couldn't look any longer.

"I'll never forgive myself, Ginny," he repeated.

She sighed and closed her eyes. And then, without turning towards him, she spoke the words he had waiting so long to hear.

"I forgive you."

She opened the door and let the noise in from downstairs. It closed again, bringing the silence that Harry had originally sought out. All Harry could hear, though, were Ginny's words of comfort echoing in his head.

…


	16. Chapter 16

**Okay, I usually don't single out the reviews I get, because they're all welcome and appreciated, but I have to give a shout out to penhierarchy for saying that the story was like "chocolate and illicit drugs." I had a really good laugh over that.  So thanks.**

Chapter XVI

A week had passed since Ginny had seen Harry. They had danced a carefully choreographed tango around one another for seven days straight. As Ginny arrived at the Burrow, Harry left. As Harry arrived at Ron and Hermione's, Ginny had just slipped out the door. Some called it coincidence, but Ron and Hermione found it all ridiculous –that two people who dared to call themselves adults could not be in the same room as one another. If they happened to catch each other even in a passing glance, it was filled with more awkwardness than Harry's doomed romance with Cho Chang. Hermione was eager to move on, and moving on meant first dates and weddings. Of course, one had to get properly dressed for first dates and weddings…

"No, Hermione! Not that one!"

Hermione sighed and tossed another skirt over her shoulder, heaping it perfectly on Ron's head.

"Ginny, that's the tenth option I've shown you," she whined to the frazzled girl.

Ginny dashed from the room yelling, "Actually, the twelfth!" over her shoulder.

"Why am I here again?" Ron reached up and pulled the skirt off his head.

"Moral support. Look, Ginny, we're almost out of clothes!"

"Then we'll head on over to your closet and raid that." She huffed as she came back into the room, attempting to uncork a wine bottle. She looked around at the battlefield that was once her new bedroom.

"Ginevra Weasley!"

"What? It's past five and I need something to calm my nerves. Leave me alone." She clinked down three glasses and brushed her hair out of her face, before trying the cork once again.

"Give it here, before you kill yourself." Ron grabbed the bottle from her and popped the cork out with a twist of the opener.

Ginny glared. "Fine. Make it look easy. But I loosened it for you!"

He smirked. "Of course you did." He poured them all a glass as Hermione remained at the opening of Ginny's closet, staring at its meager offerings.

"Well, it doesn't look good."

Ginny moved to stand next to her. She glanced down at herself before peering in the half empty closet. "I could always go in what I'm wearing."

"Oh yes, jeans and a casual top is the look you want to go for."

"Hey I have no problem with it, but if _Michael_ does then I suppose I'll just have to change." She gave Hermione a look before downing a large gulp of wine.

"Whoa there, Gin. Nervous?"

She glared at her brother before taking another gulp. Hermione grabbed the glass from her hand and dumped the contents into her own.

"Hey!"

"Ginny, Michael probably wants you conscious for your first date."

"It's not a date."

"What would you prefer to call it, a meeting?"

"Sure."

Ron rolled his eyes. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, Gin."

She narrowed her eyes at her brother again who fiddled with the comforter on her bed in order to hide himself from her withering gaze.

"By the way, what is his status on the wedding? Are you inviting him or not?"

"The status is To Be Determined…" She said as she walked out of the room again.

"Ginny! Where are you going?"

"Your place."

"Why?" Hermione followed her out of the bedroom.

"Because I haven't a thing to wear!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ginny stumbled slightly and grabbed onto the couch for stability before checking to make sure she hadn't left any body parts behind. After reassuring herself that both eyebrows were intact she headed towards Hermione's bedroom.

"Ahem."

Ginny jumped and whirled around, attempting to find the owner of the voice.

"Hi."

There he was sitting at the kitchen table, newspaper in one hand, coffee in the other. His eyes never left the print.

"Oh. Hi. I thought you were supposed to be at work."

"It's Saturday," he answered, still not looking at her.

"Right. What are you doing here?"

He lowered the newspaper, finally looking up. "I could ask you the same thing."

"I'm borrowing clothes. What about you? Have you come to raid Ron's closet?" She folded her arms across her chest as he cocked his head to the side.

"Hmm I think Ron's a bit too tall for me. I would have to wear his trousers around my chest if I wanted them to fit properly."

With a _crack_, Hermione appeared in the spot that Ginny had moments before.

"Ginny Weasley, you will not go through my closet without my supervision! Oh hello, Harry." She glanced in between the two. "Right, I'll just be in…yeah." She made a hasty retreat to her bedroom.

"So borrowing clothes for the big day, huh?"

Ginny opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

"Well, good luck and all that." He went back to reading his newspaper.

"Harry, I - "

"Gin, you don't have to make excuses. Besides I've already done the necessary background check and he's all clear." Off her outraged look he added, "I'm joking." He took a sip from his coffee and gave her a slight smile.

She smiled back. "Thanks." She headed off into the bedroom after Hermione.

Ron appeared a moment later, looking as miserable as ever.

"I bet you're having fun." Harry grinned at him. "I think you have a top stuck to the back of your shirt." Ron spun around and sure enough, there was one of Ginny's tops clinging to the back of his.

Ron groaned and grabbed Harry's coffee.

"Oi! That's mine. I made that!"

"Yeah with my coffee."

"Fine." Harry returned to the front page but his mind was somewhere else.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_She's single. You aren't together. She can do this. Stop being an immature prat. You're not supposed to care. You dated someone else…Then why does it hurt so much?_

Harry slumped into his office chair and put his head in his hands.

"Talking to yourself again?" Remus poked his head through the door.

Harry sighed. "No."

"What are you doing here? It's Saturday. Go home."

"It's boring there."

"How can it possibly be boring? Ron and Hermione are getting married _tomorrow_. How Hermione hasn't killed someone in a nervous rage is beyond me."

"She's taking it out on Ginny. Ginny has a first date this afternoon."

"Oh with that Michael person."

Harry nodded.

"You're taking it better than expected."

"I'm fine, Remus."

"You're fine. You're always fine. I would love one day for you to tell me how you're really feeling."

Harry glared at him. "And why are you here? It's Saturday. Go home."

Remus smiled and held up some papers. "Moody wanted me to look this over. I left it here accidentally…Why don't you go to the Burrow and see if Mrs. Weasley needs help setting things up for tonight. She's certainly making a large amount of food."

Harry remained with his head in his hands, silent for a moment. "I needed an escape. I can't watch her get ready for another man. I can't…watch her pick out clothes…put on perfume…and makeup…when she used to do all of that for me."

Remus sat in the chair across from him. "Oh Harry…you are far from fine."

He raked his hair. "Tell me about it."

"Well go on. I already told Molly that you'd be over. She's making you cake. Consider it comfort food. She figured you could use it today."

"How'd you even know I was here?"

"I heard you sulk in. Now go on."

"Fine." Harry stood and grabbed his things before heading for the door. He paused with his hand on the knob.

Remus looked at him knowingly. "Yes, Harry. It's chocolate."

Harry smiled and blushed. "Thanks."

"Oh and drink lots! Can't have you dehydrated for Ron's stag night!"

Harry rolled his eyes and closed the door. Remus chuckled, before leaning back and closing his eyes. The boy deserved to be happy. He deserved so much more than this, so much more than chocolate cake.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry tumbled out of the Weasley fireplace and stood to brush himself off. Immediately his senses were assaulted. Mrs. Weasley was yelling at Fred and George, Mr. Weasley was attempting to pump up a football with a manual inflator, and incredible smells wafted from the kitchen.

"Harry! You've made it!" Mr. Weasley looked up from his pumping to give Harry a one handed wave.

"Oh good, Harry dear." Mrs. Weasley began to usher him into the kitchen, before rounding on Fred and George again. "And as for you two - "

Her scolding was interrupted as a loud BANG silenced the room. Harry spun around to find Mr. Weasley flat on his back surrounded by pieces of football.

"Well so much for that idea." Mr. Weasley sat up and brushed himself off. "Genius, muggles."

"Genius!" Molly forgot about Fred and George and turned her temper on her husband. "You could've blown your face off!"

Fred and George seized the moment and crept towards the stairs.

"Oh no you don't." Mrs. Weasley pointed her spatula at them. "Outside with you. I want those tables, candles, and flowers set by midday!"

"Mum, it's past midday."

"Then you best get moving!" Her roar sent the twins out of the door so fast, Harry could've sworn they had apparated. "Now, Harry dear."

Harry cowered under her gaze. "Yes, Mrs. Weasley?" His voiced squeaked more than he would have liked it to.

"Care for some cake?"

The rest of the afternoon passed relatively uneventfully. By dinnertime, Ron and Hermione had rolled around, as had Remus, Tonks, Sirius, Charlie, Bill, Fleur, Percy, and half of the Order for the pre-wedding festivities. Only one person's absence was glaringly apparent. Harry tried not to stare at her empty place throughout the meal but it was difficult seeing as the twins had, by no accident, placed Ginny and Harry right across from each other.

"Harry what's your opinion on the matter?"

Harry's head snapped up and his eyes widened ever so slightly. "Hm, sorry?"

"Your opinion on - "

Remus stood up rather quickly and interjected. "Actually Harry, could you take Sirius inside and change him? Be a good god-father and all that." Remus smiled and Harry sent him a relieved look as he took Sirius out of his father's arms. Harry preferred changing nappies to contributing to the conversation since he had no idea what the topic of conversation had been for the last twenty minutes.

"I'll be right back." Harry headed inside and up the stairs, grabbing Sirius's changing bag along the way. Sirius grabbed at Harry's face, his little fingers hooking on his lower lip. "No, Sirius, leave Uncle Harry's lips alone." The baby gurgled and grabbed for his face again. Harry settled into Ron's old room and placed Sirius gently on his back. "Just wait til Uncle Ron hears that I changed you on his bed." Harry tickled the baby's stomach, as the outbursts of conversation filtered through the windows.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Oh come on! The Cannons won that game!"

"Ron, they lost."

"Come to terms with it."

"No quidditch at the table!" Molly stared at her three youngest sons and pointed her fork in their direction. The twins were hushed instantly, having met her wrath earlier in the day. Ron however argued through a mouthful of food. None of it was intelligible, though.

"Ginny!" Hermione stood up and ran towards the young girl who had just entered the garden. "How was it? Was he everything that I said he was? Do tell!"

"Hermione, give the girl room to breathe."

Hermione acquiesced and returned to her seat. Ginny edged closer to the table, unnerved that all eyes remained fixed on her.

"Well, dear. How was it?"

Ginny looked at her mother. "It was fine, Mum. Good."

"Just good?" Mrs. Weasley leaned her elbow on the table, as if trying to coax more from her daughter.

The blush that crept into Ginny's cheeks couldn't hide her answer even if she had wanted to. "Better than good."

It was then that Ginny saw Harry standing just off from the crowd, Sirius in his arms. The red tint left her cheeks immediately, a pale faintness replacing it.

"Oh." She inhaled deeply as all eyes moved from her to Harry. He gave her a tight smile and went to sit down, keeping Sirius on his lap, like a shield. She looked at her mother again. "I guess I should go change."

"Nonsense. You've already missed half the meal. You're fine in that."

Ginny looked down at the light green dress she had picked out of Hermione's closet. She suddenly regretted wearing it. She wasn't quite sure why, but the thought of Harry knowing that she had dressed that way for another man made her feel a bit queasy.

"Okay, where am I?"

Fred and George pointed excitedly to the seat two down from them. She began to walk towards it but her steps faltered ever so slightly when she saw whom she was going to be sitting across from. No one noticed. But Harry did. He held Sirius closer to him, placing him square on his lap so he could focus his attention on the baby and not the girl opposite him. Remus noticed this and handed Harry Sirius's rattle, quite aware that Harry would be holding onto the baby as long as Ginny sat across from him.

Eventually conversation picked up and moved away from Ginny's date, despite Hermione's desperate attempts to catch the girl's attention.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry levitated the pile of dishes through the kitchen door as he followed after. He gently placed the stack in the kitchen sink where Fred and George had cast a scrubbing charm.

"That's the last of it." He brushed his hands as if he has been doing hard manual labor.

"You know what that means?" Bill immediately perked up from his place at the table.

Harry winked at Fred and George who pounced on Ron without a moment's notice. Charlie and Bill had already broken out the bottles and were uncapping them as Hermione protested. Bill handed Harry a glass of firewhiskey which he downed in one gulp. Hermione's mouth dropped.

"Harry!"

"Stag night, 'Mione! No girls allowed!" Ron yelled from his hoisted position on Fred and George's shoulders.

"But - "

"Nope. Out you go!" Charlie escorted her to the door. "You can come back in about twenty minutes. We'll be leaving for town to celebrate."

"Fine, then. But Ronald Weasley if you show up hungover tomorrow morning, so help me Merlin, this will be the shortest wedding on wizard record!"

Ron paled at her words and set his firewhiskey down. Fred picked it up and put it into his hand a moment later.

"And as for you." She turned to Harry. "Don't do anything stupid."

He looked at her defiantly and downed another shot of firewhiskey. "I've earned this, Hermione. I think I deserve a good time." He gave a cheeky smile as Charlie shut the door in Hermione's face.

"What was all that about?" Ginny approached the offended girl and went to open the door.

"You can't do that."

"What do you mean? Why not?"

"The men have commandeered the kitchen for the next twenty minutes. They're preparing for the Stag Night." She nervously twisted the ring around her finger.

"Oh. Well then. If it's going to be like that..."

"What?"

"Did you seriously think that you were going to get away without a Hen Night?...I'll be right back." Ginny left Hermione with an absolutely shocked expression on her face as she pounded open the kitchen door.

Hermione could hear shouts of "No Girls Allowed" before the door was shut again. There was lots of banging, crashing, and even some screaming, but Ginny emerged a moment later, looking triumphant, with two bottles of firewhiskey in her hands.

"Who said they get to have all the fun. Come on, Tonks, Phlegm, and some others are waiting."

They began walking to the part of the garden that had been decorated.

"We're gonna start here and then head into town to meet the others."

Hermione nodded. "You didn't have to do this for me."

Ginny laughed and took a swig of firewhiskey. "Of course I did. What are sisters for?"

They walked in silence for a few steps before Ginny cleared her throat. "Um, is Harry all right? When I walked into the kitchen, it seemed like he and the firewhiskey were getting quite friendly…"

Hermione snorted. "What do you think?" Off of Ginny's hurt look, she apologized. "Harry's fine. Or as fine as fine can be."

"That's not very comforting."

"It wasn't supposed to be."

Ginny stopped walking.

"Again, sorry. The truth isn't always what we want to hear. Both you and Harry have learned this." Ginny nodded numbly. "Come on, let's go get pissed and show those boys how it's done."

Ginny laughed, all thoughts of Harry momentarily gone, simply because hearing Hermione say "pissed" was one of the funniest things she had heard in a long time.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ron and Harry staggered up the path to the Burrow, taking zigs and zags, laughing when realized that their legs weren't working properly.

"Shhhhhhhh." Harry attempted to cover Ron's mouth but misjudged its size and covered his whole face. Ron's muffled giggles slipped out through Harry's fingers.

"Hermione's gonna be maaaaadddd."

Harry snorted and staggered. "At you, not at me. You're the groom."

"Yeah but you're best," _hiccup_, "man. You're supposed to protect me from…foul behavior."

"Come on, you drunk sods. Into the house with you." Charlie, designated sober brother, helped Ron and Harry into the kitchen and sat them down at the table. "Drink water." He placed the glasses in front of Harry, Ron, Fred, George, and Bill. All five down them immediately and held them out for more.

Ron stood up and ran into a chair. "Bugger. Mum's gotta have leftovers around here somewhere." He began searching in the oven and the cupboards for food.

Charlie rolled his eyes. "Ron, if your future wife sees you like this, she will have your head, you do realize this, right?"

Ron absently nodded, his head lost in the search for food. An "Aha!" was heard and he emerged a moment later holding a wrapped casserole.

"I'll take care of him."

Charlie looked at Harry and laughed. "Mate, you're just as bad as he is."

Harry shrugged. "Even so, we don't all need to be knackered tomorrow. Go to bed. I'll make sure he gets there eventually." Harry grabbed a spoon and dug in next to Ron's ravenous eating.

Charlie looked to Bill and raised his eyebrows. "All right. But if he's not conscious, I'm blaming you, Harry."

"You wouldn't be the only one. Trust me, I'd have to deal with Hermione before I dealt with you. This is really good. Your Mum's an excellent chef." Harry stared at the casserole and then at his spoon.

Charlie laughed. "All right. Good night then." The four brothers trudged up the stairs and made their way to their respective bedrooms.

Ron and Harry sat at the kitchen table eating silently, occasionally making noises of contentment.

"D'you reckon the girls are back?"

"Yeah. I saw Hermione pacing in her window on the way up the walk. Probably wanted to make sure we made it back in one piece."

Ron's eyes buggered out of his head. "She can't see me like this," he hissed.

Footsteps on the steps caused Ron to dive under the table, taking the casserole with him. Harry sat stock still, waiting for the person to emerge at the bottom. There was a flash of flannel pajama pants and Ginny stood, staring at Harry.

"Hi."

"Hi."

"Are you just…sitting here alone?" She looked around the kitchen confusedly.

Harry laughed. "No. Ron, it's safe. It's not the missus." He knocked on the tabletop.

All of a sudden, Ginny saw her brother emerge from underneath the table, holding the remnants of their dinner in his hand.

"Thank Merlin."

Ginny shook her head. "Oh Ron. What is Hermione going to do with you?"

"Shh, don't tell her."

Ginny made her way into the kitchen and got a glass of water. "Our little secret."

Harry stared at her back, all of his feelings for her multiplied tenfold by the alcohol running through his veins.

"How was your night?" Ron asked through another bite.

"Lovely. Although my buzz is beginning to wear off and leave me with a fantastic headache. And yours?"

Ron and Harry looked at each other and exploded into laughter.

"That good, huh?"

The boys merely nodded through their fits and doubled over. Harry sat up and held his head. "Oh that hurts."

Ron sobered quickly and paled. "Mother of Merlin, I'm getting married today. I need to go to bed." He stood quickly and headed for the stairs.

"What? No kiss goodnight!" Harry shouted after him, before laughing at his own joke. Ginny casually strolled over to him and grabbed him by the chin, looking into his eyes.

"Wow, you are drunk, Mr. Potter." She let go, as Harry's hand moved to where she had touched him. It tingled.

"I am not."

"Harry you can't even say that small phrase without slurring the words. Stay here."

She went over to the ingredients cabinet and began pulling things out.

"What's that?"

"Stuff to make a hangover potion. I have a feeling you're going to need one. So is Ron so I'm going to make enough for two. I'll leave it by your bedside."

He stared at her as she lined up the ingredients, diligently measuring and cutting even though the first light could be seen in the distance.

"Thank you."

"Don't worry about it, Harry."

"No, I mean it. Thank you. You didn't have to do this."

"Well I don't want you falling over while you're standing up there. Plus, tradition calls for the best man to dance with the maid of honor. I expect a proper dance….You also promised Hermione that you'd walk her down the aisle. You have a lot of duties to perform tomorrow."

Harry smiled. "I guess I do."

Ginny slid another glass of water his way. "So sober up."

Harry drank a gulp and set the glass down. "How was your date?"

She paused in her cutting. "Harry - "

"No really. How was it?"

"Don't start."

"I'm just trying to have a friendly conversation."

She set the knife down. "This topic of conversation with us has never been friendly."

"Sorry."

"It's okay." She resumed putting things together in an old cauldron.

"Ginny?"

She didn't look up as she measured more things out "Hm?"

"I love you."

She stopped and finally met his eyes.

"What?"

"I love you." His hand gripped the glass of water in front of him.

"Harry, don't say that."

"Why not? It's true."

"You're drunk. That's why." She put the cauldron on the burner a little harder than was necessary.

"Do you love me?"

"Harry please…"

"Have you ever loved me?"

"Of course I have. How can you even ask that?"

"Then why can't we be together?"

She sighed and turned from the stove. He looked so lost, sitting by himself at the large table. He was staring at her as if she held all of the answers but the truth was that she didn't have any.

"Because I don't want to get hurt anymore Harry. I can't do it."

"I won't hurt you, Gin."

"You can't promise that, Harry."

"Yes I can. I'll protect you."

"You've been doing that since second year." She walked towards him and gently played with his hair. He closed his eyes and leaned into her hand.

"I've missed this."

"You won't remember it tomorrow."

"Yes I will. I'll make myself remember."

She sadly smiled and placed the glass of water in his hand.

"Michael's coming to the wedding. I figured that I should tell you, so you'd know in advance."

He nodded and looked away. "I figured."

A bubbling sound drew her away from him and back towards the stove. She poured the contents into two glasses and brought them to the table.

"Let them cool."

They sat in silence for a moment, Ginny contemplating Harry and Harry contemplating the wall.

"So, you still won't tell me about that dream?"

"Give it a rest, Gin."

"If it's bothering you so much, you clearly need help with it."

"Well it won't come true for a long time."

"Why not?"

He sighed and took another sip. "It involved my wife."

"Oh...Was - "

"Yes, it was you."

She sat silently.

"You know what's funny? When my parents were my age, they were married with a baby. I guess I figured that I would just do what they did and get married right out of school, but things don't always turn out the way that you plan, right? I mean, they're dead now. They didn't plan that."

"Harry." She reached out and put her hand on his. "You have so many people who love you, don't forget about them."

"Not the ones that count."

Her chest felt tight but she cleared her throat and stood, pushing the two glasses towards him. "Remember, one for each of you." She stood there staring down at him, at the broken man before her. She bit her lip, as if debating, before she leaned down and kissed the top of his head.

"I love you too, Harry."

She squeezed his hand and walked away, knowing that he wouldn't remember any of it come morning.

…

Review?


	17. Chapter 17

**I had the flu so the only thing I could do was eat soup and write, so here is the next chapter (this was pretty quick for me, so don't expect the next one to come as quickly. I'll try though ) I hope it doesn't come off as the product of a feverish mind, even though that really is what it is…oh well. The reviews have been amazing, thank you so much!**

Chapter XVII

The sun shone brightly over the calm morning. The trees swayed in the light breeze, and the flowers danced neatly on the covered tables. This, of course, did nothing to reflect the mayhem occurring within the house. Dress robes were being tossed from one room to the next, makeup was making it way from one bathroom to another, and enough breakfast to feed an army was sizzling in the kitchen. To add to that, everyone was trying to be heard over one another which just created a very loud din throughout the household.

Ginny came down the stairs in her pajamas and padded her way over to the teapot.

"Morning, Mum."

"Morning, dear." Molly didn't even bother turning from the stove. "I trust you had a good night?"

"Splendid." She yawned loudly and clasped her cup in her hands. Frantic footsteps on the floor above drew their attention skyward.

"Is that Hermione?"

"Of course it is. Who else is able to move that quickly this early in the morning?"

"Well when you're a bride, you'll know what it feels like."

Ginny snorted.

"So, will Michael be joining us today?"

She groaned and turned from her mother. "Yes, mum."

"Oh so he passed the test?"

"What test, mum? Despite what you may think, I do not have a test for all the men who cross my path."

Mrs. Weasley raised her eyebrows. "I'm sorry, then just what is it that you're doing with Harry?"

Ginny was momentarily struck silent by her mother's comment and she opened her mouth to retort, but footsteps on the stairs ended the conversation.

She pointed at her mother. "This is not over."

Mrs. Weasley snickered and returned to her eggs.

Harry hopped down the stairs two at a time and thumped at the bottom, still in his pajamas.

"Oh good, Harry, I was just about to wake you. Breakfast is ready."

"Thanks, Mrs. Weasley." He made his way over to Ginny who grinned as he held up his glass of hangover potion.

"Did you…make this for me?"

Her smile slipped for the briefest of moments, before she took the glass from his hand. "Yes, Harry, I did."

"Oh Gin, thank you so much. I feel fantastic. If a little sleep deprived."

She forced out a laugh. "So you really don't remember anything, do you."

Harry paled. "Oh no, I didn't say anything stupid last night, did I?"

"No," she shook her head, "nothing at all."

They stared at each other for a moment, Harry trying to dig out the memories of the night before from the recesses of his mind, while Ginny tried to convince herself that it was for the best that Harry didn't remember.

"Well, I better go get ready." Ginny motioned towards the stairs as Harry numbly nodded.

"Yeah. Um, thanks again."

"Ginny, please make sure that your brother is awake. We want him conscious for his own wedding."

"Sure, mum." Ginny headed for the stairs and made her way up. Harry watched her go, before Molly setting a plate for him at the table pulled him away.

"Thanks, Mrs. Weasley." Harry sat at the table, listening to the sounds of chaos that raged above his head. He rubbed his temples in between bites, regretting losing a whole night of memory. A few minutes later, Ron trudged down the stairs, finishing the last few gulps of his hangover potion. He sat down and dropped his head on the table.

"You all right there, mate?"

"Just cut it off, Harry. Just take my head."

Harry laughed. "Give it another minute. You'll be fine." Harry shoveled another bite of egg into his mouth.

"Murder me, Harry."

"Now see, if I did that, Hermione would murder me. And I prefer to remain alive at the moment thank you very much."

"Oh Ron, stop making such a fuss." Molly slapped a plate of bacon and eggs in front of him. He stared at it in trepidation, biting back the urge to vomit.

Harry stared at him. "You must be out of sorts…turning down food like that."

"I'll be fine." Ron took a deep breath and began inhaling his eggs. Harry shook his head. Some things never changed.

"_Harry_! _Get up here this instant_!"

Harry looked up towards the ceiling and Ron shrunk further into his chair.

"Relax. Your future wife is yelling for me not you. You're safe."

Ron looked up in fear. "Promise?"

"Well, until you say 'I do. After that, I have no control."

Harry quickly finished his breakfast and took the stairs two at a time, meeting Hermione at the top.

"Is he down there?"

Harry put his hands on her shoulders. "Yes he is. Walking, talking, eating. He's fine. Relax."

Hermione inhaled and exhaled deeply.

"Can I get you anything? Have you eaten?"

"Harry, I can't eat. I fit into this dress perfectly. There's no way I'm putting anything into my body to contradict that."

Harry finally realized that she was indeed in all white and stepped back to take a look at her.

"Wow, Hermione. You look…wow."

She smiled a genuine smile. "Thanks, Harry…You should get dressed."

"And you should eat something." She rolled her eyes. "What? I'm going to be walking you down the aisle. I don't want my moment of glory ruined when the girl in white faints in the summer heat."

"_Your _moment of glory?"

He smiled. "Eat something."

"Fine. Something small. But you have to get it for me! Ron can't see me!"

"Yes ma'am."

He returned a moment later with some toast and jam.

"Light enough?"

"Perfect." She devoured the food leaning over at a 45 degree angle so as to not get any strawberry jam on her white dress.

Harry watched her in amusement. "Is Ginny dressed yet?"

"Almost. I think Phlegm is just finishing up her hair in the bathroom."

"Oh don't tell me you've started calling her that too."

She shrugged and brushed off her hands. "Habit. Now your dress robes are in Ron's room, the cake is on its way, and the rings, oh Merlin, you do have the rings don't you?"

"Hermione?"

"Yes?"

"Breathe."

"Okay."

He took her by the shoulders and steered her towards Ginny's room. "I do have the rings, Ron and I will be dressed and everything will be fine."

He shut the door behind her and bolted towards the bathroom. _Knock, knock. _

"Ginny?"

"I'm a little busy at the moment, Harry."

"Ginny I have to talk to you. Now."

He heard a sigh, and then the door unlatched. There she stood in her beautiful light blue dress with her hair tied back. For a moment, he had forgotten why he had needed her and he just stared.

"Yes, Harry? What did you want?"

"Oh right. Um, please tell me you have the rings."

"What rings?" Realizing that Harry was about to have a heart attack, she gave an ironic laugh. "Of course I do. Like I was going to trust you with them?"

"Well I need them now. Hermione thinks I have them."

Ginny turned and got them from her little bag. "Here. Please, please don't lose them between now and then."

"I won't."

Harry turned and hurried back to Ron's room, but not before sneaking another look at Ginny before she closed the door to the bathroom. The men showered, got dressed quickly, and checked themselves at least ten times in the mirror, praying that they met Hermione's expectations. Harry checked his pocket every 30 seconds to make sure that the rings were still in place as the buzz from the guests grew louder and louder. Things seemed to be going according to plan, until Ginny burst in the room a moment later and announced that it was time, causing Ron to launch into full on panic attack mode.

"Ron, breathe."

"I can't be a husband. I can't be Mr. Granger."

Harry raised his eyebrows at Ginny. "Ron, you're a professional quidditch player! Weddings should be a piece of cake!"

"Cake?"

Ginny saw an opening and jumped in. "Yep, cake Ron. And as soon as it's over, you can eat as much as you want."

Ron was up in an instant and out the door. Harry turned towards Ginny.

"Nice work."

"Thanks. You ready?"

"I hope so. Where's the bride?"

"In my room."

Harry lightly knocked and when he heard Hermione give him permission to enter, he gently pushed the door open. She stood with her back to him facing the mirror, veil fitted on top of her head, hands clasped tightly in front of her.

"Well?"

He stared at her for a second, not completely comprehending that this was his best friend, whom he had known since he was eleven. He cleared his throat and gave her a smile. "You're going to make an amazing wife."

"Thanks Harry." She turned around and kissed his cheek as he offered his arm.

"Shall we?"

She took a deep breath. "We shall."

They headed downstairs to the kitchen door that lead to the garden. Ron was already in his place at the front and Ginny was standing by the door, ready to make her entrance. As they approached, Harry noticed Ginny quickly wipe her eyes before they got too close. He gently touched her elbow, causing her to jump.

"Sorry. You okay?"

"Yeah, we're just…growing up so fast."

He let out a small laugh. "You most of all. You grew so quickly you skipped two years."

She glared at him and swatted at him with her bouquet. "Funny, Potter."

"Oh Potter is it now?"

The music began and all three froze. Ginny turned to Hermione and gave her a large squeeze before she made her way down the aisle.

"See you up there."

Hermione then looked at Harry. If he was nervous, he couldn't even begin to imagine how she felt.

He offered his arm. "You ready?"

She took it and smiled. "You have no idea."

He led her down slowly and although all eyes remained on her, his were fixed on the girl in light blue who already stood at the front.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The ceremony was brief, but beautiful. The vows were exchanged and Hermione breathed an audible sigh of relief when Harry brought forth the rings from his pocket. Soon after, Ron and Hermione were man and wife and Harry didn't know whether to shout for joy or to feel a loss that the once perfectly balanced trio was now heavily tipping in another direction. Harry walked throughout the garden, hands shoved into his pockets, feeling the need to wallow in a bit of self-pity. Who would play quidditch with him or give him advice while Ron and Hermione were on their honeymoon? The thought made him want to pout. Before he knew it, the groom had saddled up beside him and was shoving a glass of champagne into his hand.

"No sulking at my wedding!"

Harry smiled.

"Much better!...You know this isn't going to change anything, really. We're always still here, you know?"

"Right."

"That doesn't sound very convincing."

"No I believe you…What I don't believe is that after the truckload of alcohol you consumed last night, you can even bear to look at the stuff again."

"It's my wedding. I'm taking one for the team."

"And what a sacrifice it must be."

Ron pointed to the glass which Harry was now holding. "Catch up. Fred and George are trying to make a pyramid with the empty bottles before we cut the cake."

"Oh Merlin." Something to Harry's right caught his attention and he looked up. There was Ginny talking and laughing with a blond haired man. Harry could only see his back but Ginny's laugh was enough to make him sick with jealousy.

"Hey Ron. Is that him?" Harry gestured over to Ginny.

"Oh yeah. Must be. Fits Hermione's description. Let's go meet the stealing sod."

"Yeah, Ron that sounds like a great idea." As Ron led him over to Ginny and Michael, Harry panicked. "Ron, I was joking. Sarcasm. This is a bad idea. Let go of my arm!"

"Ginny!"

Ginny looked up and smiled at her brother but when she saw what her brother was dragging, her smiled wavered. No good would come of this.

"You must be Michael. I'm Ron, Ginny's brother."

"Of course. Congratulations."

Ron had finally moved out of the way and allowed Harry a view of the man in front of him. What Harry saw almost made him sink to the ground in shock.

"Harry?...Harry?"

Ron punched Harry on the arm.

"What?" Harry had zoned out so much that he hadn't realized that Ginny had been saying his name.

Ginny looked at Harry strangely. "This is Michael. Michael this is Harry."

"Michael, huh?" Harry scrutinized him.

Michael gave a short laugh. "Yep, last time I checked." He reached out to shake Harry's hand and when Harry took it, he grabbed Michael's left arm, twisted it, and shoved up the sleeve.

"Harry, what are you doing!" Ginny tried to pull Harry away as Michael fell to his knees, but Harry let go before she even got a chance. His arm was blank. Harry stared into Michael's eyes before he walked in the other direction.

Ron just stood there, champagne glass in one hand, bottle in the other, wondering what had just happened.

"Michael, I'm so sorry." With that, Ginny ran after Harry.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ginny hit the kitchen door so hard, it bounced off the wall and came back at her. She grabbed it and slammed it shut. She found Harry pacing around the kitchen table, twirling his wand in between his fingers.

"Just what the hell did you think you were doing?"

"Ginny, you wouldn't - "

"No, Harry. I want an answer and I want it now. This is not the time to get territorial on me. What the hell was that? Do you go around checking everyone to see if they're a Death Eater or just the ones that want to date me?"

"Ginny - " Harry attempted to remain calm but Ginny's constant interruptions were making it difficult.

"Harry, you have no right. I'm not yours anymore. How dare you insult someone just because you can't control your jealousy."

Harry slammed his hand on the table silencing her. "He was in my dream, Ginny! The one that you keep asking me about!"

Her features were still angry but her tone changed. "Michael was? Please, Harry. You've come up with some idiotic excuses before but this…" She laughed. "This is ridiculous."

Harry thought he heard a hint of uncertainty in her voice. He gripped the chair in front of him so hard, she thought it might crack.

"Ginny you have to listen to me."

"No, we're done here."

"Dammit Ginny! You have to stay away from him!"

"What is going on!" Hermione stood in the kitchen doorway, her hands placed square on her hips. "I can hear you shouting from the garden!" Ron came running up behind her.

"Nothing's going on. Harry's being paranoid." Ginny attempted to leave but Hermione stood in her way.

"Harry?" She looked to him for an explanation.

He sighed and loosened his grip on the chair. "There's something wrong with Michael."

Hermione laughed. "Oh just something? Might it have anything to do with the fact that he's dating Ginny?"

Harry stared at her hard and Hermione stopped laughing. Ron stepped out from behind his new wife and held up a champagne bottle.

"Look why don't we all go back outside. After all, you guys are the best man and the maid of honor. You guys were doing so well. Can't you try and make it through the rest of the day? For us?"

Harry looked down and nodded. "Yeah."

Ginny still stared seethingly at Harry but nodded her consent. Harry began to walk out of the kitchen, when Ginny caught him around the arm, fearing he would go after Michael again.

"Where are you going?"

"I need to find Remus. Now." Harry walked towards the door but was stopped by Ron.

"Wait a minute, mate. Look, I don't know what's going on, but while I have you both here, and even though you're apparently not on the best terms, I just wanted to thank you, for you know, being here for us. It was – It was important. So thanks."

Both Harry and Ginny forced out smiles. Hermione went up to Ron and hugged him.

"Well spoken, Mr. Weasley."

"Why thank you very much, Mrs. Weasley."

Harry was practically bouncing with the desire to leave the kitchen.

Hermione laughed and kissed Ron. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

Ginny's eyes immediately darted towards Harry, gauging his reaction. She watched as he stopped his bouncing and a look of foggy recognition passed across his face. He glanced down in thought and then up in shock, his eyes searching out hers. She wasn't able to look away.

"Ginny…"

Her voice caught in her throat and all she could manage was, "Don't," before she walked quickly out of the kitchen, leaving him to follow.

Ron looked at Hermione. "What just happened?"

Hermione stared after their retreating figures. "I have no idea."

The guests paid Ginny little attention as she hurried across the yard.

"Ginny!" Harry jogged to catch up with her.

"Harry, just leave it be," she shouted over her shoulder.

"But Ginny, you said - "

"I know what I said!" She turned to face him causing him to backpedal.

"But - "

"No, Harry. Just forget about it."

He stopped walking. "Are you serious? Just forget about it?" He followed her into a secluded part of the garden. "Ginny, you tell me you love me and then I'm supposed to just, what, walk away, while you carry on with another guy?"

"Well what about me Harry? You told me you loved me five minutes after you asked me how my first date went! Your timing could have been better!"

"I was drunk! Excuse me for not having my timing down."

"And that's another thing. A girl loves hearing that a guy loves her when he's pissed senseless."

"Ginny…"

She began to walk away and he threw his hands up in frustration.

"Fine I take it back. I don't love you."

She glared at him. "Liar. When you're prepared to tell me that you love me when you're sober and ready, then I'll be willing to listen."

"Oh it's that easy is it? And what about this Michael person? Ginny, I mean it. You can hate me for this now, but when I tell you that you need to stop seeing him, I mean it. Ginny please."

"Harry, you're crazy…"

"Ginny please!" He grabbed her by the shoulders and spun her around to look at him. "I' not jealous! I love you. I do. I'm sober and I'm ready and I love you. But I can't watch you get hurt and this man will hurt you. I've seen it. You want to know what he did in that dream? He was pressing a wand to you…here." He gently pressed his hand against her stomach. "You were my wife and you were pregnant and all I could do was drop my wand and watch. Please Ginny. If you ever cared for me at all, please just do this one thing for me. Please. Ginny…" He cupped her face in his hands. "Don't do this."

"Harry, I - "

"Ginny?" Michael's call was heard in the distance and Ginny visibly stiffened.

"I – I have to go."

"No." He grabbed her hand. "Ginny, no."

She let her hand slip from his and left the garden. Harry punched a tabletop and slumped into an empty chair, feeling like all of his hope went with her.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry walked quickly up to Remus, grabbed him by the arm and pulled him away from his conversation.

"Well hello to you too, Harry. What's - "

"I think Number 585 is here."

Remus stopped walking. "_What_?"

"I can't jump to any conclusions but right now we need to tag Ginny's date Michael,…and no this is not because he is Ginny's date," he added off of Remus's look. "He doesn't have the Dark Mark, but if we don't get him now, he'll get me later." Harry looked pleadingly at Remus. "Trust me."

Remus looked at Harry for only a moment before agreeing. "All right, Harry. But we aren't going to arrest him, here and now. We'll just keep an eye on him until we have just cause."

"That's all I want."

"You need to get Ginny away from him if you think she's in danger."

Harry looked around and found Ginny and Michael talking in a corner. "I'm working on it."

"Do whatever you have to. Beg her to return to you, but get her out of there."

Harry looked around for an idea restlessly until he stopped suddenly, as though someone had clicked a light bulb on in his head.

Remus eyed him. "What? What is that look? I don't like it."

"Nothing. I have to talk to Ron and Hermione. Be right back."

"What for?" Remus had to shout as Harry jogged away.

"Permission!"

"Permission? Permission for what?" Remus muttered to himself as he watched Harry run to the other side of the garden where Ron and Hermione stood.

They seemed to look confused at first. Then Hermione covered her face with her hands and Ron looked ready to kill someone. Remus deduced that Harry must've been filling them in about Michael…but what Harry needed permission for, he was still in the dark about. Ron and Hermione's expressions changed to one of joy and Remus rubbed his face in frustration from trying to figure out what had gotten into his "godson's" head. He could vaguely hear Hermione say, "Of course you can. We'll be getting enough people talking about us."

"What's going on?" Tonks walked up holding Sirius.

Remus shook his head slowly. "I have no idea."

Tonks looked towards Harry who was now making his way into the house. "Strange boy." Harry passed the chef on his way in. "Ooh food. I'm starving." Tonks shifted Sirius and headed for her table.

The chef exited levitating tray upon tray of main courses for the guests to sit down to. Everyone gathered around the circular tables, and ate the chicken dish (Ron had vetoed the lobster quiche), which was followed soon after by dessert. The clinking of glass was heard and Ginny reluctantly stood up to speak. She had yet to look at Harry who sat three seats down from her. She cleared her throat and addressed her now attentive audience.

"I've never been one for public speaking…with six older brothers it was always hard to get a word in let alone a speech, so bear with me." There were a few laughs and Hermione smiled at her encouragingly. "I thought that when Ron went off to Hogwarts, I was losing my best friend. We had shared secrets and bonded over a common enemy…mainly the two redheads sitting over there." She gestured over to the twins. "But when he went to Hogwarts, what neither of us knew was that he was gaining not only two more best friends, but a wife as well." She smiled at Hermione, still refusing to look at Harry. "I'm grateful that he found someone as perfect for him as Hermione, because I know that there will always be someone to keep my brother in line and, you know, to help him along, whenever he needs it…which can be quite often…I'm joking, Ron," she added off his glare. She inhaled as her voice began to shake. "When we were younger it was my job to do that, but now I get to pass the torch, so to speak. And I couldn't do it…to anyone more deserving. You're perfect for each other and I wish you all the happiness in the world. So," she raised her glass. "to Hermione, who has to put up my poor brother, and to Ron, for doing whatever he did right to catch her."

She took a sip as everyone around her clapped. She received hugs and kisses from a teary Hermione and an emotional Ron before sitting down again. The clinking of glass sounded again and Harry cleared his throat and stood up. He sent a look to Ron and Hermione and they nodded encouragingly.

"First off, I uh, I want to congratulate my two best friends. Quite honestly, I've been waiting for this day since First Year, but I thought I'd let you realize it in your own time…Took you a bit longer than I thought it would." He smiled at them. "And I want to thank them…for giving me permission to do what I'm about to do." Immediately a wave of confusion swept across the guests as they looked at him quizzically. He took a deep breath and continued. "I fell in love with Ron's sister, Ginny, nearly five years ago. Of course, since then, she's been more than just 'Ron's sister' to me, even though it took me six years to see it, you know, to actually see _her._ And when I did, I couldn't even begin to describe how beautiful she looked." He gave a small laugh, as if remembering, and looked down. "I'm up here today, with Ron and Hermione's blessing, to tell you all what a prat I've been. And to apologize to the girl, the woman, that I love. Because I do love her." He finally turned to face Ginny who was staring at him with a pale look of shock. His eyes remained on her even though he addressed the rest of the guests. "Four years ago, I lost my memory and she stayed with me. I paid her back by leaving her when she needed me the most. She's forgiven me, but I'm selfish and I want more. I…want her. Just her. Because she's all I'll ever need and it's taken me five years to realize it. So here I am, begging her to give me a second chance because we were happy once…We were, and I want that again. This isn't about jealousy or chauvinism. I just…love you." Ginny let the first of her tears slip. "And I want you to take me back, if you'll have me."

Ginny slowly stood and stared at him. Her face was a mask of emotions. She was crying, but he wasn't sure if she was about to run into the house or into his arms. She walked up to him, completely unaware of the hundred or so guests watching just meters away. He looked down at her, completely vulnerable. He swallowed hard and licked his lips, as if waiting for the inevitable rejection. Without breaking eye contact with him, she slowly took his hand in hers and held it.

"Let's start over."

He looked at her strangely. "Is that - "

She smiled and nodded.

"A yes?"

"Yes." The rest of her tears spilled out as Harry pulled her close to him. She buried her face into his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. They vaguely registered the cheers, claps, and catcalls coming from the guests. Realizing the need to speak alone, they made their way into the house, but not before Mrs. Weasley gave each of them a bone crushing hug. Once safely in the kitchen, Ginny smiled and looked over at Harry.

"That was an unfair position you put me in."

He grinned. "Did it work?"

She laughed and looked around. "I'd say so."

"And what do you mean unfair? I'm the one who had to resort to declaring my love in front of the entire wedding. I certainly hope you believe me now."

She nodded. "I do. Especially coming from someone who just loves to shut himself off from the outside world." Off his glare, she added, "Well you aren't the most open of people."

"Point taken." Harry went over to the counter and picked up two extra pieces of cake. "For you." He set it down in front of her.

"Thank you." She picked up her fork to take a bite but set it down in thought. "You weren't lying before, were you. You know, about Michael."

"No, I wasn't. I wouldn't lie about something like that just to get you back."

"I do know that. I just, didn't want to believe it at the time."

He nodded. "I understand."

"He really did all that in your dream?" Harry nodded and Ginny stared out the window. "I'm sure he's gone by now." Turning towards Harry, she took his hands in hers. "We have to find him. We can't let him do what you said he did."

Harry nodded and squeezed her hands. "I know. I won't let him. I promise."

He pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. She pulled back and looked at him, both suddenly aware that they hadn't been that close in over two years. Harry stared at her and slowly lowered his head as she stood up on tiptoe until their lips connected. Her fingers found their way into his hair and his hand brushed her cheek. He pulled away and smiled at her.

"I've missed that."

"Me too."

"Well it's about bloody time!" Ginny and Harry looked up to find Hermione grinning goofily in the doorway and Ron forking down his third plate of pie.

So much for the moment.

…

Review?

(apologies for over-sappiness…it seemed called for…and no it's not the end)


	18. Chapter 18

Okay, so TOTALLY AU now that Deathly Hallows has come out which is disappointing. But it's not exactly like J.K. Rowling was going to toss amnesia in as the plot twist to her finale. So as much as it irks me, because I hate being off canon, I suppose I'll continue with the story. So sorry for the delay. I've had many angry messages. My apologies.

Chapter XVIII

The cars honked on the street outside of Harry's flat as the sun peeked its way through the thin curtains. Harry squinted in his sleep and rolled over, burying his head in his pillow.

"Oi."

Before Harry had time to register where the voice came from, he was landing on the hardwood floor with a thud.

"Stay on your side of the bed."

Harry peeked over the mattress to see Ginny burrowing deeper into the comforter.

"Foul play, Ms. Weasley."

Harry stood up and flopped back into the bed, sending Ginny bouncing.

"Harry!"

"What, so you can shove me out of bed, my own bed, may I remind you, but I can't give you a simple kiss good morning?"

Ginny propped herself up on her elbows. "Certainly not until you've brushed your teeth."

"Fine." Harry got out of bed and headed for the bathroom. "Hold that thought."

Ginny plopped back down against the pillows and covered her head with the blanket.

"You still holding?" Harry's voice was muffled from the toothpaste.

She lifted the comforter from her head. "Holding tight!"

Harry smiled into the mirror and spit his toothpaste into the sink. Last night had been a good night. No dreams. No visions. A clear subconscious was a hard thing to come by for Harry Potter. He splashed some water on his face and entered the bedroom again.

"Do I meet industry standards now?"

No response. Harry made his way over to the bed and lifted the comforter off the lump in the middle. Ginny breathed deeply, the steady rise and fall of her chest signaling that she was sound asleep.

Harry smiled and sighed. "Good morning to you too."

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ron yawned loudly as he stepped out of the fireplace, inhaling ash, and spluttering all over Harry's carpet.

Harry mutely carried a cup of coffee over and handed it to him. Ron drank the liquid down greedily, washing the soot from the back of his throat.

"Thanks, mate," he croaked.

"Anytime. Where's Hermione?"

"Left for work early. Some business that I, you know…"

"Wasn't paying attention to?"

"Right." Ron sat down across from Harry and stole the sports page from the _Prophet._

"Don't bother. The Cannons lost."

"Ugh, it just isn't our year."

"It's never your year."

"Just because your girlfriend now plays for the Harpies doesn't give you leave to bad mouth my team!"

"It's not bad mouthing, it's just fact."

Ron sat brooding in silence for some time, occasionally stretching the shoulder injury that sidelined him and sent him working in George's shop. A creak drew his attention to the bedroom.

"All right, Mr. Potter, I'm ready for my 'good morning' now."

Ginny froze in the doorway wearing only a sheet as Ron's mug fell from his hand. Ginny scurried back into the room and Ron buried his face in his hands.

"Oh I didn't need to see that."

Harry snorted. "Sorry… She can be quite - "

"I don't wanna know."

Harry grinned and sipped his coffee. Ron stood up and headed for the fireplace.

"I'm going to the shop. I just – I – yeah." He tripped over the couch on his way to the floo powder and accidentally shouted out "Weasels's Wizarding Whizbangs." Merlin knew where he would end up but Harry hoped Ron got there before George got so angry, his face matched his magenta robes.

"Is he gone?" Ginny shouted from the bedroom.

"He's gone."

Ginny emerged still clad in only a sheet and sat on Harry's lap. Harry wrapped his arms around her.

"Well good morning to you, too."

xxxxxxxxxxxx

"Potter!"

Harry winced and hesitantly stuck his head around a cubicle. Minerva McGonagall was marching down the aisle toward him. Harry ducked back in and debated on whether it was too late to hide under the desk and pretend he wasn't there.

"I saw you, Potter. Get out here."

Harry stood up and faced his old professor. Although inches taller than she was, she was still a force to reckoned with. "Why, Professor, what a surprise. What brings you up -"

"I'd appreciate it if you'd save your cheek for someone dim enough to fall for it, Potter."

"Yes, ma'am."

"And I'd kindly ask you to stop sending random Auror patrols to my school to interrogate my teachers! Sybil's been put in St. Mungo's!"

"Well that's hardly my fault - "

"I assure you that our teachers have been thoroughly crosschecked and their records are clear. Please stop disrupting the studious environment."

Harry rubbed his face and slumped back into his chair. "Professor, you have to understand."

"I understand quite clearly, Mr. Potter. Your Death Eater is still missing and your obsessive nature has kicked in full force. I assure you that our teachers are clear, but, BUT - " She held up her hand to silence Harry's rebuttal. "If I see anything, anything at all, out of the ordinary, I'll contact you."

Harry sighed deeply and sank further into his chair. He watched as McGonagall glanced around the walls, the newspaper clippings, photos, maps, and charts covered every surface like wallpaper. "Thank you, Professor."

"How long has it been, Harry?"

"Eight months."

"How long has it _really_ been?" She raised her eyebrows knowingly.

"Eight months, two weeks, and three days. He disappeared at Ron and Hermione's wedding. We were supposed to keep a tail on him but he just slipped away."

"Do you know for sure it was him?"

"Yes and no. Yes, I know, but no, nobody else believes me."

McGonagall smiled, a rare thing. "Chin up, Potter." She turned and swept out of the room. "And leave my teachers alone!"

A few aurors poked their heads out of their cubicles to watch the Headmistress march back down the aisle. Harry turned and stared a picture tacked to his wall. It was of Ginny and Death Eater Number 585, alias Michael. It had appeared in the _Daily Prophet_ the day after the wedding. Harry rubbed his temples and focused back on the report in front of him.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ginny held her head and swayed over the stove. Staying over at Harry's had been a bad idea. They always stayed up too late talking, watching muggle movies, doing other…things. Though they kept their separate apartments, they spent most of their time together. Ginny flicked her wand and the sponge proceeded to scrub of its own accord. She walked over to the fireplace, tossed some powder in it, and flooed over to Ron and Hermione's.

She stumbled out of the fireplace, her vision swimming before her for a brief moment before Hermione came into focus, reading on the couch.

"Hey Ginny," Hermione said, glancing up from her book and noticing how pale the girl in front of was. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I just didn't get enough sleep last night," Ginny said as she collapsed on the couch next to Hermione.

"Why didn't you – nevermind, I don't want to know."

"No, it was nothing like that. I just didn't sleep well."

Hermione closed her book and pointed her wand over her head to the kitchen where a wooden spoon began stirring a pot.

"Harry staying late at the office tonight?"

Ginny nodded. She never inquired into Harry's case studies but his search for Michael, or whoever he was, took up more of his time than anything else he had worked on before. Ginny was worried about him, though she never voiced her concern.

"If you want to eat here, you're welcome to. If Harry's getting back too late."

Ginny smiled at her sister-in-law. "It's all right. I've already prepared most of it. I should get back and wait for him."

Ginny stood and gripped the couch again, closing her eyes against the spinning room.

"Ginny, you're not okay."

"Really, I am. I just need some food and a good night's rest. I'm just coming down with something. Practice in the icy rain never does the body good."

Ginny tossed some powder into the fire and felt the dizzying sensation consume her. It certainly didn't help her nausea.

She landed in her living room and immediately reached out for the mantle for support.

"Thank Merlin." Harry was at her side in a minute, kissing her soot stained forehead. "I can home and you weren't here and the scrub was scrubbing but there had been no sign of a struggle and I was so worried – Ginny, are you all right?" Harry finally stopped his rambling and stood back to look at her. "What happened?"

Ginny smiled and leaned her weight against him. "Harry Potter, The Paranoid One. I was at Ron and Hermione's. I was there less than ten minutes."

"Oh." Harry led her to the kitchen table and sat her down. "Well what's wrong? You don't look too good."

"Nothing, I just don't feel very well." Ginny stood up to fix dinner but Harry eased her back into the chair.

"I'll get it." Harry levitated plates and silverware to the table and brought heat up under the pot on the stove.

"How was work?"

"Same as usual. No progress. I feel like he's so close…"

Ginny sipped the pumpkin juice that Harry set on the table. "Harry, I saw Dawlish the other day. He was hanging around the pitch. Any idea what he was doing there?" Ginny watched his back rise and fall in a sigh and he turned to her.

"I put him on you. To tail you." Ginny's face contorted in rage but Harry took her hands and sat down across from her. "Ginny, I'm sorry but I don't completely trust that Michael, 585, whatever has completely left you alone."

"Have you had another dream?"

"Same one. Over and over." Harry's eyes glazed over for a moment.

"_Drop your wand." He stared at the person opposite him who held her tight against him, her arms pinned to her sides._

_She struggled and he choked her harder._

_He repeated again. "Drop your wand." His voice sounded low and firm but the terror he felt inside could not be matched on any level._

_The wand that was pressed to his wife's neck slowly moved down and jabbed her pregnant stomach._

"_You first, Mr. Potter."_

_He stared into her brown eyes as his wand clattered to the ground._

"Harry?"

Harry jumped and saw Ginny's concerned eyes staring back. "Hm? Sorry?"

"Harry, I know you worry, but I can take care of myself."

"In the dream you couldn't. Please just let me put someone on you. For my own peace of mind. I promise you won't even know that he's there."

"Then tell Dawlish he's got some covert tactics to work on," she huffed as she leaned back and crossed her arms. "Fine. Put him on me. Put ten of them on me, but if I see one Auror other than the one sitting across from me, I'm going to be in a most foul mood."

"I promise. Thank you."

Harry leaned across the table and kissed her.

"Harry?"

"Yes?"

"You're burning the stew."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Mum, I'm fine." Ginny paced the kitchen of the Burrow, occasionally stealing a carrot or a celery stick from the vegetable plate that her mother had laid out.

"Are you sure? You look a bit peaky. I could make you some tarts."

"Mum - "

"How about a hot water bottle?"

"No. I'm warm enough, thank you. You can't get hit with bludgers every other day and expect to look like you just stepped out of the Veela gene pool.""

Molly placed her oven-mitt-clad hands on her hips as she eyed her daughter. "Ginny, dear, you know I think you're gorgeous."

"I wasn't saying you didn't; I'm just saying, ease up for Merlin's sake."

"Fine. Moving on… How's Harry?"

Ginny slipped another carrot into her mouth. "Why must the two topics of conversation with you always be either my health or Harry?"

"Don't talk with your mouth full. It's not polite."

Ginny swallowed loudly. "You didn't answer my question."

"I was avoiding it."

"I can see that. And you wonder where I get it from. Harry's fine, by the way."

"And he hasn't asked any questions of late? Any important ones?" Molly fished for an answer as she slid a tray of chocolate, peanut butter cookies into the oven… Ginny's favorite. As if bribing her with sweets would somehow get her daughter's commitment fearing boyfriend to drop down on one knee.

"Mom if I'm engaged, you'll be the first to know."

And this is how it went with them: Ginny's health, perhaps a dash of the weather, Harry and the eventual topic that comes up whenever Harry's name is mentioned, a proposal. Round and round they went until Ginny began to feel that her weekly trips to the Burrow were like riding one giant carousel.

Ginny mostly avoided the topic because she wondered herself. Why hadn't Harry proposed? Sure, they were young. But they had been in love for the better part of five years. Granted they had been officially dating for far less than that, but who was really counting. Ginny blamed Harry. Harry blamed Harry, too. They always used it as light dinner banter, poking each other to see who was really at fault for the time discrepancy. It was banter that usually took a turn for the worse by the end of night. On more than one occasion, Harry's walls were graced with spaghetti or pie or whatever happened to be on the menu that night. They usually made up by morning. Ginny's cheeks flushed with the memories.

"Ginny!"

"Hm, what?"

Molly shook her head at her daughter and handed her a cup of tea. "Bring this to your father? He's in the shed. And if you see any Muggle things lying about, you come to me straight away!"

"Of course, Mum."

Molly was fighting a losing battle with a microwave for Arthur's attention. Ginny did her best to hide her grin.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ginny trudged up the stairs to Harry's flat and attempted to find the rarely used key that he gave her in case of emergencies. Before she could slip it into the lock, though, the door swung open and there he stood, wearing nothing but a towel and pointing a wand in her face.

"Oh hi." He moved to tuck his wand safely in his back pocket, but upon realizing he had no pockets to speak of, he fiddled with it for a moment before settling on just awkwardly holding it. "What are you doing using the door? No one uses the door."

She kissed his cheek, inhaling his freshly showered scent, and moved past him into the living room. "What did you think I was, a burglar?"

"…Maybe."

"You know, if you weren't so cute…." She let the sentence hang in the air.

"I know, I'd be out on my arse without a penny to my name."

"But what a fine name it is…. The Chosen One. "

Harry rolled his eyes. "Okay, I'm done playing. Why'd you take the stairs?"

Ginny slumped back into the couch and closed her eyes. "I stopped off at Ron and Hermione's after the Burrow and I just felt too rotten to floo or apparate here, so I took a taxi."

"Wow. How Muggle of you." Harry moved over to her and began to untie her shoes. "Can I get you anything?"

She gently shook her head.

"All right, well I'm going to put some clothes on."

She frowned.

"Ginny, I have to wear something."

She gave him a sly smile.

"All right, Gin, use your words."

"I think you're fine just the way you are."

"And I think I'm cold." He grabbed a sweater off the back of the chair and headed into the bedroom. "I'll be right back."

Ginny pressed her thumb and forefinger to the bridge of her nose, hoping to alleviate some of the pressure there. "Harry?"

"Yeah?" His voice echoed out of the bedroom. There was a crash and a thump, followed by an "Ow! I'm all right."

She gently smiled. "Harry?"

"Yeah, Gin?"

"I have a question."

"Good question or bad question?"

She thought about it for a moment. "That depends."

"Ookay. Would you prefer do ask this face to face? Or shall I stay in the bedroom?'

"Stay in the bedroom."

"Well it can't be that good, now can it."

Ginny smiled despite her thumping heart. "Harry, why aren't we married yet?"

The thumping stopped as all in the bedroom went silent. Ginny was instantly relieved she had finally brought her concern out into the open and horrified that she felt that concern in the first place. Not only felt it, but voiced it! She must have a fever. Before she could open her mouth to tell him to forget it, to nevermind, that it was the product of an unhealthy mind, that she liked the pace they were moving at, he slowly exited the bedroom, fully dressed and leaned against the doorway.

"Well that's a loaded question, if I've ever heard one."

Ginny sat up straight on the couch, despite the fact that her vision swam for a moment. "I'm sorry - "

"Don't be." He moved from the doorframe and sat across from her on the coffee table. "It's… it's not that I don't want to. Believe me, I do. I've never wanted anything more, but…"

"But?"

"It's complicated."

"I'm confused."

Harry leaned back and rubbed his hands over his face. "He's still out there, Gin."

If the blood hadn't drained from her face so quickly, it surely would have flushed red with anger. "Don't do that."

"But he is, Ginny - "

"Don't tell me that our engagement is being postponed because some nameless psychopath is on a warpath. Be reasonable!"

"He killed twelve people today, Ginny! Three children included. Don't tell me to be reasonable. I don't care if he has a name or not. You easily could have been one of them."

Ginny stood up and paced the living room. "This is about that dream, isn't it. You're afraid to marry me, because you think that by marrying me, it's going to happen."

"I may not cause it to happen but I'm certainly putting it on the right track!"

"Bloody hell, Harry. It's just a dream."

"You and I both know my dreams aren't just dreams! You told me so yourself." Harry stood up and kicked the corner of the coffee table. "Sonofabitch!"

"Serves you right. Acting like a child."

Harry took a few deep breaths and calmed himself down. "I only want what's best for you."

"And who decides that? You? Don't I get a say?"

"Of course you - "

"Good. Then I'm deciding that you need to leave."

Harry scoffed. "It's my apartment."

Ginny rounded on him. "I don't care!" She swayed for a moment, her eyes rolling to the back of her head.

"Ginny?" Harry involuntarily took a step towards her. "Ginny, what's wrong?"

"Harry…" It was nothing but a breathy whisper but it was enough to move Harry to catch her before she hit the ground.

To Be Continued...

A/N: Those of you who have stuck with me and hounded me have my deepest respect. To any newcomers, I hope you enjoyed. More to come hopefully soon. Reviews are wonderful.


End file.
